These are the three most common stretches that I give to patients with shoulder pain. These stretches will really help to stretch the shoulder muscles in order to reduce pressure on the joint, and when done along with practicing good posture, will help to relieve your pain.
Shoulder Pain Exercise 1
Stand in a door frame with your elbows bent to 90 degrees and raised to shoulder height. Place your forearms on the door frame on either side and gently lean your body forward so that you feel a stretch through the chest and the front of the shoulders on both sides. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, relax and then repeat a further 2 times.
Exercise 2
Stand with your back against a wall and shoulder blades flat against the surface. Lift your right arm across the front of your chest and hold the elbow with the left hand. With the right arm relaxed, use your left hand to push the right elbow across the body. Whilst applying the stretch, keep your right shoulder blade back against the wall. The aim is to feel the stretch in the back of the right shoulder joint. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times.
Exercise 3
If recovery from your shoulder injury still isn't progressing as you hoped it would then it could be because there is stress being placed on the shoulder from an adjacent part of the body.
This can commonly happen from having neck tightness, in particular the upper trapezius muscle between the neck and shoulder. I find that this muscle is tight in most people that are suffering from shoulder pain so will usually always treat this at the same time as treating the shoulder itself.
Try this stretch for the upper trapezius muscle. Sit with the hand of your affected arm behind your back and put your other hand on the top of your head. Side-bend your head away from the sore shoulder and use the hand on your head to add a bit of light pressure so that you feel the stretch from the neck down to the shoulder. Hold for 20 seconds and relax.
How Often Should I Stretch My Shoulder?
Ideally these stretches should be performed 3-4 times per day whilst your symptoms persist. If you are consistently stretching for 2 weeks and there is no change in your shoulder pain then there is probably an underlying issue that needs to be treated so an assessment from a physiotherapist should be sought. Once your shoulder pain has resolved, these same stretches performed once per day will be beneficial to maintain healthy shoulders and prevent recurrence of your symptoms.
If you want to find out more about how we can help you here at The Physiotherapy Place, arrange a time that one of our physiotherapists can give you a call here or book an appointment here.
Shoulder pain ebook Edinburgh
FREE Physio E-Book - 8 quick and easy tips to help your shoulder pain and stiffness
Shoulder pain is one of the more common issues that we see in the clinic. Some who seek help from their GP will be prescribed rest and painkillers, but most of the time this will not solve the problem.
Here, you'll find our top 8 tips on reducing shoulder pain and keeping the tissues of your shoulder strong and healthy.