Exercises and Stretches for Shoulder Pain
Exercises and Stretches for Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain can be caused due to many reasons. Sometimes it is caused by sports injuries, dislocations, fractures and other injuries which call for emergency medical treatment and professional Physiotherapy rehabilitation. At other times it’s because of slumping over an office desk or poor posture or the lack of movement.
What ever the reason, regardless of the pain, sleeping, sitting, and walking can become uncomfortable. Here are some shoulder stretches for you to try:
-
Across Chest Stretch
This simple and easy stretch might seem like it’s too easy to take seriously. But after 10 repeats, you might realise that its effectiveness is what you’re looking for when it comes to relieving shoulder pain.
All it involves is bringing your right arm across your chest by guiding it at the elbow with your left hand, placing it in the crook of your left elbow, and holding it there for a minute. Repeat the action on the other side, and do a further 2 to 4 repeats on each side.
-
Neck Stretches
Stand with your feet directly below your hips and let your arms hang by your sides. Keep looking forward while you tip your head to the right as though trying to touch your shoulder with your right ear, and continue to stretch down till you can feel it on the left side in both the shoulder and neck.
Do the same in the opposite direction, dropping the left ear to the left shoulder until you feel the stretch on the right side. Hold your head at the most extreme point for about 10 seconds and repeat three times on each side.
-
Shoulder rolls
Take a similar hip-wide stance to stretch your shoulders. Letting your arms hang loose at the side, inhale and lift your shoulders towards your ears before moving them backwards and squeezing the shoulder blades together. On the exhale, drop your shoulders and move your elbows forward to stretch the back of the shoulders. Repeat 10 times.
-
Chest expansion
Hold an exercise band, towel or strap behind your back while standing, broaden your chest and move your shoulder blades towards each other. Lift your chin as if to look at the ceiling and hold this pose for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
-
Chair Twist
To stretch your neck and shoulders sit on a chair and keep your hips facing forward and your ankles directly below the knees. Twist your upper body to the right and bring the left hand to your right thigh. Hold that position for 30 seconds before repeating it on the other side. Go for 3 to 5 repeats on each side.
-
Shoulder Circles
A good exercise for warming up shoulder joints and increasing flexibility in your shoulders, its one you should try to fit into your daily schedule twice or three times a day. Stand with your left hand on the back of a chair or table, allowing your right hand to hang down like a pendulum. Move the right hand in clockwise circles 5 times and do 5 more anti-clockwise, each time beginning with a small circle and gradually increasing its size, before doing the same with the left hand.
-
Doorway Shoulder Stretch
Make sure no-one’s about to enter or leave the room before adopting a stance in the doorway to strengthen your shoulders and open your chest. With your right arm at a 90 degree angle, crook your elbow at the same angle so you can rest your forearm on the door frame. Step your right foot forward(and later with the left) while pressing your palm into the frame and leaning slightly forward to engage your core. Hold the position for about 30 seconds and repeat on both sides two or three times.
-
Side-lying Thoracic Rotation
To improve mobility in the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and shoulders, try this stretch: Lie on your right side on a mat, bend the knees slightly, and stretch the right arm out straight ahead. Face your right hand while you place your left hand on top of it and keep looking at it while you raise the left hand straight up and arc it to the floor behind you without moving the knees or hips. Bring the left hand back to the right and repeat the arch-like swing several times before rolling over to face left and give the right arm the chance to swing.
-
Ragdoll Pose
A yoga pose, the Ragdoll helps release tension in the shoulders. To do it, stand with your feet hip wide and slightly bent knees. Fold slowly forward as though trying to touch your toes, while keeping your stomach against your knees to protect your lower back. Place each hand on the opposite elbow and point the top of your head at the floor, allowing it to hang free for a minute before returning to an upright position.
-
Cross-Body Arm Swings
To warm the shoulder joint and increase movement, stand with your feet at hip width, inhale, and lift your arms out straight before moving them to extend sideways, and squeeze the shoulder blades together before bringing them slowly back together on the exhale. Cross the right arm under the left and keep both straight. Inhale and swing the arms back out to the sides, again squeezing the shoulder blades together before bring them back together again on the exhale. This time cross the left arm under the right, while keeping both arms straight. Repeat 10 times.
If you haven’t seen a Physiotherapist about your shoulder pain, get in touch with us today.
Contact Us:
Experienced Physiotherapists with essential knowledge. You can call us anytime to have a confidential discussion with our expert Physiotherapists. For more information on how we can further assist you, please call our clinic number on 0479 080 800 or send us an email on [email protected] for further details. Our Physiotherapists are Medicare, NDIS, DVA and Work Cover approved, specialising in injury management and rehabilitation to get you back on track.
Ajit Singh Lamba – Physiotherapist in Parramatta