24 May Exercises to Help with Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a very common diagnosis we treat in the clinic nearly every day. While there may be several factors contributing to your pain depending on activity, age, movement patterns, and behavior, we’ll review a few general exercises that may help shoulder pain. Remember, physical therapists are experts in musculoskeletal movement. We can help identify what tissues are involved, your preferred movement patterns, and how to treat and reduce your symptoms.
Here are three different exercises that may help reduce generalized shoulder pain.
Wall Slide
Start by standing facing a wall. Use a towel to slide your hand up the wall toward the ceiling, stretching your shoulder. Hold for 2 seconds then relax to the starting position and repeat 10 times.
Scapular Retractions
From a sitting or standing position, pull shoulders back to stretch the chest and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Think about holding a pencil with your shoulder blades. Hold for 2 seconds, then relax and repeat 10 times.
Doorway Stretch
Standing in a doorway, place both hands on the doorframe and take one small step into the doorway, gently stretching your chest. Hold for 5 seconds then release and try again.
Remember, exercise and stretching should never be painful! If you are experiencing pain or need to come in a for a full evaluation, contact us to schedule an appointment!
