Shoulder GIRD is not heart burn of the shoulder; it is a deficit in shoulder motion. GIRD stands for Glenohumeral Internal Rotational Deficit. This means you can not internally rotate your shoulder into the normal range. This can be tested by lying on your back and putting your arm at a 90 degree angle next to you and your elbow bent to a 90 degree angle so your hand is in the air. You will then rotate at the shoulder so your forearm lowers to the ground, stop if you shoulder comes off the table. Typically you should be able to put it flat on the table, if not the structures in the back of your shoulder are tight. This is very common in baseball athletes and other overhead athletes. It is becoming more prevalent in the normal population due to sitting and computer work.
When the shoulder does not have full range of motion it becomes predisposed to injury. GIRD aligns the humeral head, the top of upper arm bone, forward in the socket. This decreases the space available in the joint when the arm is raised and causes impingement. Impingement is the pinching of structures in the shoulder that causes pain and dysfunction. The sleeper stretch can help restore balance. Simply assume the test position, and then roll on the side that the target arm is on so the shoulder is pinned down. Then take the opposite arm and push you arm down so it is stretched into internal rotation. Be gentle, you should feel a mild pull but not pain. Perform this 3-4 times a day for 2-3 sets of 30 second holds. Once your motion is improved perform it once a day.
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