Stop Overtraining: How Doing Less Cured Tom’s Shoulder Pain

There’s a misconception that we at Functional Patterns limit people’s exercise choices when they initially come to see us. The reality is that there are activities that people do that contribute to issues their body is having, and by stripping things back, we can ultimately do more with our bodies once we understand the issues we are having.

Unfortunately, failure to do this can lead to more problems and actually leave people with fewer options in terms of what they can do with their bodies. If you want to be able to continue to do more as you age, it’s wise to take a step back, take stock of how your body is functioning, and try to improve it.

Functional Patterns Dublin practitioner Tom found this out first hand. Before starting FP he was really struggling with shoulder pain and severe scapular winging. Reluctant to stop lifting weights and limit his training options he tried to work around the problem until it became impossible.

He tried adding to his routine in the form of corrective exercises and mobility work but nothing helped. Finally he came across Functional Patterns and realized  that he had to change his whole approach to training. This involved stripping everything back and getting a handle on what exactly was going on. He could them build on a proper foundation.

Since then he has been able to fix his winged scapula and totally get rid of his shoulder pain. He can now do much more with his body that he ever has. From surfing, to Muay Thai, and heavy strength training using the Functional Patterns method.

In a world where people use exercise as a way to deal with their anxieties, it can be difficult to take a step back. People really struggle to slow down. Chasing personal bests and doing crazy endurance challenges all while being in pain and accepting it as normal.

At Functional Patterns we promote exercise that can restore your bodies balance over time, and ultimately allow you to do more with your body as you age. The best way to do this is sometimes taking a step back, assessing where you are at and making a smart plan to move forward.