If you’re like the rest of us, you’re used to waking up with a little bit of shoulder tightness (or feeling it after a day on the computer). That’s because our everyday activities tend to involve holding our arms in front of our body, rather than behind (think: texting, driving, cleaning the house). “Many of our day to day activities cause us to have shoulder tightness,” says Melissa Prestipino, DPT, owner of Maize & Blue Rehab in Sparta, New Jersey. But it’s not just the things we do during the day—even the way we rest can lead to shoulder tightness. “Certain positions we end up putting our arms in, such as sleeping with our hands overhead, can also lead to shoulder tightness,” Prestipino adds.
Why shoulder stretches are important
This imbalance can lead to tightness, pain, discomfort, and even a limited range of motion. That’s where stretching your shoulders come in. But taking time to work through that tightness regularly isn’t just important for reducing momentary discomfort, either. In fact, a lack of stretching can lead to long-term problems. “Short-term overuse of tendons can lead to ‘tendonitis’ or inflammation,” says Prestipino. “When tendons of the shoulders get inflamed for a longer period of time, this can lead to a degeneration of the collagen protein that forms the tendon." Over the course of time, continued repetitive movements (such as driving) without stretching can cause the shoulder muscles to shorten—leading to a slumped posture. “Rounded shoulders over time can lead to ‘impingement’ of the shoulders which means the shoulder tendons get pinched as they pass between the top of the upper arm (humerus) and the tip of the shoulder (acromion).” And when this impingement carries on, unaddressed? It opens up the door for additional shoulder injuries, like rotator cuff tendon tears or bone spurring. These aren’t just painful—but they may lead to conditions that require surgical repair, Prestipino warns. In other words, stretching doesn’t just help relieve pain and stiffness in the short term—it can prevent serious impairment over time. To keep your shoulders mobile and pain-free, here are seven stretches anyone can incorporate into their weekly workout and stretching routine.
Best shoulder stretches
1. Doorway pectoral stretch
To do this stretch, stand in a door frame with both of your arms in a cactus shape. Press your palms and forearms against the doorframe. Then, take a step backward as you lean your upper body forward past the frame. You can keep stepping back, and leaning forward, until you find a point where you can pause and stretch. Stay here for five long breaths. Repeat. “This helps to stretch the pec muscles which are responsible to adduct (bring the arms together),” Prestipino explains. “Since we often have our hands in front of our bodies for everyday tasks, it’s a good way to make sure the shoulders don’t stay rounded or lead to poor posture.”
2. Supine active assistive range of motion with a wand
Lie down on your back with an unweighted wand (think something light, such as a cane or a plastic broomstick.) Grab the wand slightly wider than shoulder width distance, then lift the wand overhead. “This is a nice way to promote circulation and blood flow to the shoulder joints, and to get a good stretch,” Prestipino adds. It also helps with shoulder mobility in a way that doesn’t add strain.
3. Wall sit with massage balls
Take a massage ball and place it between your back and the wall in a wall-sit position. Move the ball around to target your shoulder blade and upper back. Move in circles, or pause and add pressure, to release tightness and tension that may have gathered in the area. Be careful not to run the ball over your spine, and repeat on the other side. You can also put both of the cork balls in a tube sock, then run them down alongside your spine. This eco-friendly cork ball makes it easy to work through knots that may be limiting the range of motion.
4. Shoulder internal rotation with a towel
Sit up in a comfortable position. Take a hand or sports towel in your right hand. Bring it overhead, bend your right elbow, and allow the towel to dangle down along your spine. Grab the bottom of the towel with your left hand. Hold, and stretch. You can also use a yoga strap for this stretch. “You are promoting increased flexibility of the shoulder’s internal rotator muscles. Many functional tasks require this range of motion,” Prestipino says.
5. Crossbody shoulder stretch
For this stretch, bring your right arm across your body and hold with the left hand. Hold here, and actively press your right shoulder down away from your ear. Repeat on the other side. “Repetitive tasks such as using the computer or smartphones cause the arm muscles to get tightened,” Prestipino adds. “This helps to stretch the muscles across the upper extremity and shoulder.”
6. Seated should pulleys
Reach overhead with the assistance of a shoulder pulley, which you can find in the gym or at your local PT’s office, and pull downward. “This helps to increase bilateral shoulder range of motion and prevent issues such as “adhesive capsulitis” of the shoulders (frozen shoulders),” Prestipino adds. This stretch also promotes increased circulation and blood flow.
7. Standing wall slides
All you need for this stretch is a wall. Stand perpendicular to a wall about six inches away. Reach your hand up the wall and place your palm flat. Hold here and feel your shoulder open, stepping closer to the wall to increase the intensity, or further away to decrease it. “This helps to promote shoulder circulation and blood flow, and promotes increased range of motion of Shoulder Flexion,” Prestipino adds. “Functional tasks such as putting your arms overhead to get a shirt on/off can be made easier by doing this stretch.” Next up: How to Fix ‘Nerd Neck’
Sources
Melissa Prestipino, DPT, owner of Maize & Blue Rehab in Sparta, New Jersey
