Random Thoughts too Big for Facebook

Oh the School Days:

Passed by SMSS while driving back home from HUKM, but didn't pay a visit despite being relatively free for the day. But then again, that happens every day passing by SMKSI sending my sister to school. Anyways, SMSS looks better from outside than when I studies there; all of the buildings including the hostels look like they were newly painted, at most 1 year ago. It certainly reminds me of the fact that our childhood experiences shape very much our principles in approaching life, and is underestimated. But reading the Sham: How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless book, which I'm still not finished yet, certainly teaches another lesson: that doesn't condone negative actions that you do, at least most of them.

Anyways on reflection, I always though that my best years in school was in the span of 5th - 6th grade while in the states. Only 2nd place is the IIUM Matriculation years, when I won the overall best student award; frankly, the debating experience is the most fulfilling during those years. In Matric, you didn't have to study, as one day before a paper will do, so learning itself wasn't a challenge (too much). And despite the (in my eyes) highly regarded MEDCY during that time, the mental challenge of debating brought me a lot of mental development in a period characterized by memorizing and throwing up info (not necessarily knowledge) in exams. Sorry Madam Nur Rinah if you read this!

5th grade was the year in which I finally removed my demons of 4th grade, in which all 6 six-weeks was characterized by 2nd honors (all A's except 1 B). I finally got a first honor in my second six weeks of 5th grade after getting second honors, and it continued all until before I returned by to Malaysia (I had second honors in my 2nd six weeks in 6th grade though, but all A's in the assessment of 3rd six weeks). During this while I was enrolled in the TAG (talented and gifted program) for 5th and 6th grade, which allowed me to do many extra things in school, among them, studying marine biology, a subject I still love until today. Compare that with the grind of "top student studying" in Malaysia. There may be many things wrong with the American education system, but making education fun for the top students isn't one of them.

I still remembered the time in Form 5, when an English teacher started backbiting me in front of other students because I refused to enter an extra class for top students (obviously a step to ensure A's in the school, not helping the less fortunate students). It was optional anyways. I've always wondered how'd it be if I brought that subject up in her face as I got the highest grade (can't remember the grading system) for the 1119 English subject, something she said I wouldn't get. Sorta like in standard 6, when the Student Affairs teacher of SKSS asked why I didn't bother to pick up my UPSR results (all A's). Funnily enough, it was him who recommended that I be enrolled in what was considered among the lower of classes in standard 6.

Regarding that, I think the system of streamlining students into "good and bad" classes is for the most part, stupid. Unless if 80% of your students are thugs, there's no need for it. Interaction breeds experience, and experience breeds learning. And the Malaysian education system fails miserably to instill creativity. Thank God for debating as it saved my brain.

On My Obsession with the Shoulder Joint, as My Friend Has Impingement Syndrome:

Another thing passed my mind while driving: the shoulder joint, and the various things you can do almost any time to protect it's health. And the main issue with rotator cuff impingement, probably the most common, and certainly among debilitating among injuries in the public and athletes, is that it is usually caused by scapulothoracic joint dysfunction, i.e. the inability for the scapula to rotate upwards when doing overhead work (like getting that cup out of the cupboard). Added with poor thoracic mobility (too much kyphosis, lack of abdominal breathing), and the supraspinatus is just waiting to be injured. Mike Boyle's article gives a good overview on requirements to maintain shoulder health.

But there are a few exercises which I actually love, based on a few principles outlined here (by Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson):

Observe how 3 muscles together produce upward rotation of the scapula, ensuring safety of overhead movements. Along with scapular pushups (also referred to as the pushup plus) and wall slides, my favorite to be done is the overhead shrug, all shown in the above linked article. The reason is that for the most part, you can do it at home, and you do not need weights (a boon for the general public); proper motor mechanics is the key, instilled by habit.

But for those who are already symptomatic, there are still ways to incorporate such "exercises" into your activities of daily living, keeping you safe when forced to perform risky movements anyways. Or you can exercise at some opportunistic times, like say, while in a traffic jam (not while turning the corner of course).

1) Perform all overhead activities as though you are trying to perform an overhead shrug. The easiest way to do so is to shrug --> overhead movement. Another way to do this is by partially performing the overhead task, followed by active shrugging before finishing lifting the arm overhead. The basic theme here is to ensure that your body always "remembers" to have that upward rotation when lifting overhead.

2) Incorporate shrugs while driving. Shrugging in itself may not help with impingement, as activation of the rhomboids during normal shrugs may prevent upward rotation. Shrugging with the arms elevated help prevent this. So hold onto your steering wheel, and do those shrugs, which mimic the overhead shrug with a barbell/scaption + shrug with a dumbbell.

3) Incorporate scapular "rows" while driving. The whole point here is to imagine pulling your scapula downwards and back, to make both of them meet. You don't want to pull your scapula upwards, in order to remove the rhomboids out, stressing the movement on the upper and lower traps.

(video viewable in original post)

Incorporate points 1, 2, and 3, along with easy to perform anywhere scapular pushups (for specific serratus anterior activation) to prevent problems, or fix them before you need surgery. Remember, rotator cuff impingement is not an automatic spell for surgery!