Shoulder Pain exercises. When you are working out, playing sports, or just going about your everyday life, shoulder pain can easily take you by surprise. If you need to get rid of your shoulder pain fast, what are some workouts that can immediately help you start overcoming your shoulder discomfort? Here are some terrific workouts, stretches, and exercises that can get rid of your shoulder pain fast!
Use accessible stretches like neck releases, doorway shoulder stretches, and the downward dog stretch to strengthen your shoulder. Exercises like the pendulum, chest expansion, and eagle arms spinal rolls can also help lessen your pain. There are even at-home remedies that could help stop your pain!
How can you perform accurate, shoulder-focused stretches, exercises, and yoga poses? What are some other remedies that can be used to tackle and get rid of annoying shoulder aches and pains? Let’s go over this helpful information in depth and how to execute these workouts!
What Causes Shoulder Pain in the First Place?
There are plenty of ways that one of your shoulders or both of your shoulders could get injured or affected so that you are feeling shoulder pain. Some of these shoulder pain sources need to be treated immediately if they are considered severe or a health emergency, and you should go to or consult a professional clinic or therapist for shoulder separations, dislocations, traumas, or fractures. Other common causes of shoulder pain that you can help fix include impingement, arthritis, overuse, and instability.
Some people get rotator cuff tendonitis, where the four main muscles that support and move their shoulder get pinched under the shoulder blade bone, directly leading to soreness and inflammation. Rotator cuff tendonitis is most often caused by advanced age, so elderly persons may have to look out for this cause of shoulder pain.
Biceps tendonitis is when the biceps tendon attaches your biceps muscle in the upper arm to the front of the shoulder, leading to the tendon getting pinched in the bony anatomy of the shoulder blade or getting pinched by the ligaments attached to the collarbone and shoulder blade. Others will deal with bursitis, when the bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that enables body structures to glide smoothly over one another, becomes pinched instead.
Finally, there is also a frozen shoulder, which is also called adhesive capsulitis, a unique condition in which the shoulder becomes painful quickly as you gradually lose motion thanks to a lack of use, worsening rheumatic disease, or a lack of fluid that helps the shoulder move, or bands of tissue that grow in the joint and limit shoulder motion.
Stretches to Help Relieve Shoulder Pain
Neck releases
Neck releases are terrific ways to strengthen your body while lessening the pain in your shoulders! To do neck releases, sit up straight, and slowly tilt your chin toward your chest until this stretch can be felt in the back of your neck. After that, lean your head to the left to stretch your right shoulder, or lean to the right to stretch your left shoulder! This neck release stretch should be held for a minute on each side. Remember to breathe very deeply to help your body relax and to maximize your stretches! Neck releases are gentle stretches that loosen the tensions in your shoulders and neck and will go a long way in stopping shoulder pain.
To deepen the neck release stretch, place one hand on your shoulder and one hand above your ear to gently guide the following movements. Then lower your chin toward your chest. A stretch will be felt along the back of your neck as you do this. Next, gently tilt your head to the left and stretch your right shoulder. Hold that position for up to a minute, then repeat on the opposite side. Do this for a deepened version of the neck release stretch on each side 3 to 5 times.
Doorway shoulder stretches
Doorway shoulder stretches are easy to do and will help you open up your chest and build up your shoulder strength. Perform a doorway shoulder stretch by standing in a doorway, having your elbows and arms form a 90-degree angle. Then step your right foot forward as you press your palms into the rides of the door frame. Then lean forward and engage your core, holding this position for as long as 30 seconds. Make sure to repeat this doorway shoulder stretch with your left foot forward and do each side 2 to 3 times.
To further stretch out your shoulder and neck, try a seated twist stretch exercise. For a seated twist, keep your hips facing forward during the entire stretch and let the twist start in your lower back. To begin, sit in a chair with your ankles right under your knees. Then twist your upper body to the right and bring the back of your left hand to your thigh. Next, place your right hand down wherever feels comfortable and hold the position for roughly 30 seconds. Finally, repeat on the left side and do each side a total of 3 to 5 times.
Arm across the chest stretch
Next up is the arm across the chest stretch! First, hold your right hand out in front of the rest of your body, and keep your hand near your waist. Next, reach your left hand behind your elbow while pulling your right arm to the left and across your chest. Lower your arm until the pain lessens and then hold this position in place for about 30 to 50 seconds. Release your hold and then repeat this stretch up to 3 to 5 times. The across-the-chest stretch will help you improve your flexibility and range of motion in the shoulder joint and surrounding muscles at the same time.
While performing this stretch, lower the arm if you feel pain in your shoulder. Perform an across-the-chest stretch on each side 3 to 5 times in total. If you want to deepen this stretch, lift your arm to shoulder height.
The downward dog pose
The downward dog pose is an inversion pose that will strengthen and stretch your shoulder and back muscles at once. Begin this stretch on your hands and knees, pressing into your hands to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you press your weight evenly into and through your feet and hands. Next, keep your spine straight and bring your head toward your feet so your shoulders are flexed overhead. This downward dog pose should be held for up to 1 minute.
Child’s pose
Child’s pose is a form of stretching similar to yoga moves that will help relieve the tension present in your back, neck, and shoulders. It will help restore energy and good feelings to your body. Perform a child’s pose by putting a soft cushion under your forehead, legs, or chest for support as needed.
Put yourself in the downward dog pose bring your big toes together and put your knees slightly wider than your hips. Sink the hips back on your heels and then extend your arms out in front of yourself. Make sure to let your chest fall heavily toward the floor, all while relaxing your shoulders and spine. Hold this position for up to 5 minutes if you can.
Next, there is the thread-the-needle pose, which alleviates a lot of the tightness in your shoulders, chest, and upper back! It is a good idea to put a block or cushion under your shoulder or head for support if needed.
Start this pose by getting on your hands and knees. Then lift your right hand up and toward the ceiling, keeping your palm facing away from your body. Next, lower your arm to bring it underneath your chest and over to the left side of your body with your palm still facing up. After this, activate the right arm and right shoulder to ensure no collapsing into this area doesn’t happen.
Finally, keep your left hand on the floor as support and lift it toward the ceiling, or bring it around to the inside of your right thigh and hold this pose for up to 30 seconds. Lastly, relax into the child’s pose before repeating this stretch on your left side to finish threading the needle.
Exercises to Help Relieve Shoulder Pain
Pendulum exercise
This next exercise is perfect for dealing with your shoulder pain. Start a pendulum exercise by leaning over and then supporting your uninjured arm with a chair or table. Let your sore arm and shoulder dangle straight down. Draw circles in the air, with the circles starting small but then gradually growing larger. Reverse circling directions regularly and repeat this pendulum exercise 5 to 10 times throughout the day.
Shoulder circles
Shoulder circles are great for helping to warm up your shoulder joints while also increasing your overall flexibility. Do shoulder circles by standing with your left hand on the back of a chair and allowing your right hand to hang down. Then circle your right hand 5 times in each direction and repeat all of these steps on the opposite side. Do shoulder circle exercises 2 to 3 times per day if possible!
Eagle arms spinal rolls
Eagle arms spinal rolls are exercises that help you to stretch your shoulder muscles out by use of your arms. If the arm positions are uncomfortable for you during the exercise, perform eagle arms spinal rolls by holding your opposite shoulders.
First, sit yourself down and extend both your arms out to the sides. Then cross your elbows in front of your body with your right arm on top. Bend the elbows and place the backs of both forearms and hands together. Then reach your right hand around and bring your palms together.
This position should be held for 15 seconds, and on an exhale roll your spine while drawing your elbows in toward your chest. On your next exhale, roll your spine as you draw your elbows toward your chest. On an inhale, open your chest up and lift your arms. Continue this movement for 1 minute and then repeat this on the opposite side.
Chest expansion exercises
Chest expansion exercises require a band, towel, rope, tie, or strap of some kind. These chest expansion exercises will promote a better range of motion and a level of flexibility in your shoulders. You need to take one of these items and hold it behind your back while grasping with both hands. Then move your shoulder blades toward one another gently lift your chin and hold it toward the ceiling. Hold this position for about 10 to 30 seconds. Make sure to breathe deeply while holding the pose. Do this for a total of 3 to 5 times!
There is a way to easily deepen the above chest expansion exercise. To deepen it, place both of your hands closer together along the band, towel, rope, tie, or strap that you have picked out for the exercise.
In addition to the above stretches, yoga exercises are also similar and effective means by which you can deal with and get rid of shoulder pain.
Other Alternative Ways to Stop Shoulder Pain
If the above stretches and exercises don’t seem to be alleviating enough shoulder pain, there are other ways to stop the pain. Yoga is another, modified form of working out that can help give the shoulders relief. There are also home remedies that you can find online that can speed up healing. It never hurts to try resting, icing, and compressing your shoulder as well. Try to elevate the hurt shoulder or shoulders above heart level when possible. A heating pad, Epsom salt bath, and over-the-counter pain relievers can also do wonders for body pain in general.
What To Do if Your Shoulder Pain Persists
Sometimes the above stretches, exercises, and various remedies only relieve shoulder pain for a while or not at all. Their effectiveness will vary greatly from person to person and in how much you implement these healthy habits into your life and listen to your body. However, if you feel pain while performing any of the above exercises or stretches, or if your pain levels do not lessen after roughly 6 weeks, you should start thinking about meeting with a doctor, therapist, or physician for a better assessment and recovery plan.
Sometimes manual therapy is the answer to persistent shoulder pain since manual therapy is a specialized type of therapy in which a doctor or therapist uses their hands instead of equipment to deal with the shoulder pain sources.