Shoulder Mobility Exercises

Shoulder Mobility Exercises are great for building mobility in the joints and muscles of the shoulder. Shoulder Mobility and strength is important to prevent tightness and possible injuries. Try these exercises once daily per week and then as needed in the future.

1st: Spinal Twist

The side arm and neck stretch, also known as a spinal twist, opens the shoulder girdle and passively allows the soft tissue around the spine to soften in a balanced way.Lie on one side with both knees together.Bend the knees so that the knees are straight out from the hips (forming a right angle to the body). Place extended arms on the floor at a 90 degree angle from your body. The palms are on top of each other and level with the shoulder. Slowly Lift the top arm up and over your body toward the the floor behind you. Turn your head so you are facing the ceiling. Keep the knees together. If the top knee begins to slide backwards place the bottom hand on the top knee to help hold them in place. Find the point where the shoulder feels comfortable. Breathe deeply, relax and allow gravity to slowly bring the arm towards the floor. Come out of the stretch by lifting the arm up and back to the original starting position. Roll over to the other side and repeat. Hold for 60 seconds on both sides.

2nd: Shoulder Sweep

The single arm sweep creates a balanced range of motion. By pressing the elbow and wrist evenly into the floor through this motion you will develop balanced strength through the shoulder’s full range of motion. This movement strengthens and compliments the “spinal twist”. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.Place the outside of your right foot on the top of your left knee. Once in that position turn your hips to the left knee. Once in that position turn your hips to the left so that your right lower back is off the ground but your right shoulder is still on the floor. If the right shoulder is coming off the ground in this position, the place a foam roller under the left knee to bolster the legs so the hips are not rotating over as much and the opposite shoulder is not coming off the ground. Have the right arm out straight on the ground and sweeping the arm in a snow angel pattern. The right arm should be able to go up underneath the lower back with the palm facing down on the ground then go up overhead allowing the palm to turn over and face up toward the ceiling. 2-3 sets of 10 on each side

3rd: Bridge Push-Ups

The bridge headstand strengthens the rotator cuff and the spine. This can be a big step up from the previous two movements. Be sure to listen to your body, if it feels like too much then start with a simple bridge pose. Be Gentle, 1-2 sets of 10 reps.