Exercises to Relieve Shoulder Pain and Tightness

All of us know the important role that shoulders play in our lives. Shoulder strength helps us in household chores, moving furniture, manual labour, carrying groceries and lifting things. However, many people complain of shoulder strength and tightness.

This blog provides crucial details of exercises for shoulder pain for your benefit. Read on.

Rotator cuff tendinitis or swollen tendons happen to be a common cause of shoulder pain and tightness. Impingement syndrome happens to be another common cause. Here, the rotator cuff is caught between the humeral head and acromium.

Often shoulder pain and tightness are the causes of an injury in a different body part, namely the biceps and the neck. This is commonly called referred pain.

Here’s a list of other causes of shoulder pain:

• Dislocated Shoulder
• Frozen Shoulder
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Heart Attack
• Arthritis
• Torn Rotator Cuff
• Torn Cartilage
• Bone Spurs
• Broken Arm Bone or Shoulder
• Swollen Tendons
• Pinched Shoulder in Shoulder or Neck

Symptoms of shoulder pain and tightness are detailed below, i.e. you should go for medical consultations if you face the following problems:

• If you have developed severe pain in both your shoulders
• Opt for medical consultation if the shoulder pain moves to other parts of your body
• Consult a doctor if you have a fever or feel unwell
• If you have pain in your thighs, see a doctor
• If the shoulder pain is restricting your daily activities

Given below are details of exercises for shoulder pain and tightness:

1. Neck Release

This exercise helps you release the tension in the neck and around your shoulders.

Steps to Do Neck Release-

Given below are steps to do this exercise:

Step 1: Lower your head and chin to your chest. While doing this, you’ll experience a stretch in the back of your neck

Step 2: Gradually bend your head to the left and stretch the right shoulder

Step 3: Hold for a minimum of 1 minute and repeat on the other side

2. Shoulder Circles

If you do this exercise regularly, it will help your shoulder joints to warm up. Furthermore, it also increases flexibility.

Steps to Do Shoulder Circles-

Steps to do this exercise are as follows:

Step 1: Stand straight and place your left hand on the back of a chair

Step 2: Hang down your right hand and circle it a few times in both directions

Step 3: Repeat the same process on the opposite side

3. Cross Body Shoulder Stretch

This exercise helps in extending the back of the shoulder.

Steps to Do Cross Body Shoulder Stretch-

Given below are the steps to this particular exercise:

Step 1: Position your feet hip-width apart and stretch out your right arm

Step 2: Place your right arm across the body. Make sure your hand points to the floor on the side of the left leg

Step 3: Slightly bend your left arm at the elbow. Place your left forearm under your right arm and support the right arm above your elbow

Step 4: Pull your right arm in and across the body with your left forearm. Stretch the back of your right shoulder

Step 5: Hold the pose for a few seconds and then repeat it on the other side

4. Child’s Pose

This exercise helps in relieving tension in your shoulders, back and neck.

Steps to Do Child’s Pose-

Here are the steps for this exercise:

Step 1: Place a mat on the ground and kneel on it. Make sure that your toes touch

Step 2: Place your knees apart and sit up straight

Step 3: Breathe in and raise your arms above your head. Exhale and move forward towards the floor. Stretch your arms out in front and touch the ground with the palms

Step 4: Gradually bring your elbows to the ground

Step 5: Slowly sit back and bring your back towards the heels. You’ll feel the stretch in your back

Step 6: Inhale deeply and hold the position for a minimum 1 minute

5. Pendulum Stretch

This exercise enables you to increase shoulder stability. It helps in increasing shoulder movements.

Steps to Do Pendulum Stretch- 

Please follow these steps to do Pendulum Stretch:

Step 1: Place your feet at hip-width apart position

Step 2: Bend forward and look towards the ground

Step 3: Position the right hand on a chair or table for support and hang down the left arm

Step 4: Gradually swing your left arm in a circular motion and continue for a minimum of 1 minute. Then change the direction

Step 5: Repeat the movements with the other arm

6. Across the Chest Stretch

If you do this exercise regularly, it will improve flexibility in the shoulders and muscles around them. However, you shouldn’t proceed with this exercise if you experience any pain.

Steps for Across the Chest Stretch-

Given below are the steps for this exercise:

Step 1: Place your right arm across the chest

Step 2: Position it in the crease of your left elbow. Alternately, make use of your left hand to support the arm. Hold the position for a minimum 1 minute

Step 3: Repeat the movements on the other side with your left arm. Repeat the set 5 times

Given below are the benefits of the shoulder pain reducing exercises:

• Relieves Shoulder Pain and Tightness: Regularly exercising following the steps mentioned above can reduce and relieve shoulder pain, irrespective of whether it was caused by shoulder injuries, bad posture or other reasons.
• Decreases Tensions: Shoulder exercises make the muscles in those areas more agile and flexible. Furthermore, these exercises make the shoulder more prepared to withstand injuries and stress.
• Improves Mobility: Shoulder stretches and exercises make the muscle tissue and fibres stronger and more flexible.

Given below are the shoulder exercises that you need to avoid:

• Behind the Head Shoulder Press: If you do this exercise, you need to compress your rotator cuff muscles against the bony surfaces located in the shoulder. This might cause pain. Discontinue the exercise if you feel uncomfortable.
• Triceps Bench Dip: This exercise requires applying pressure to the triceps, tendons and rotator cuff muscles. Avoid this exercise if you experience pain or discomfort and consider alternative exercises.
• Single Arm Rows: Generally, people perform this exercise incorrectly, which causes injuries.

You need to keep in mind and take the following precautions while doing stretching exercises for the shoulder:

• Make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear
• Warm up before exercising
• Eat light before exercising, but don’t exercise on an empty stomach
• Don’t eat right after exercising
• While exercising, keep in mind your fluid intake and drink water
• Take breaks as applicable
• Don’t exercise when you’re not well

This blog provides the details of exercises for shoulder pain. It enumerates the causes and symptoms of shoulder pain and tightness. Additionally, it provides the steps to do shoulder exercises and the benefits that would follow if one regularly exercises.

The blog also mentions a few shoulder exercises that one needs to avoid, as they might cause discomfort and injuries. Furthermore, while exercising, one shouldn’t forget to take the mentioned safety precautions.