Shoulders Stretch and Mobility
As a massage therapist, the shoulders are one of the most common areas I treat. This is not just for general aches, pains and reduced mobility, but also for
- injuries
- impingement syndrome
- frozen shoulder
- rotator cuff injuries
to name but a few. Most of us forgethow hard working our shoulders are, until they start to ache.
Who hasn’t got backfrom a long day at work and needed to rub their upper back and shoulders?
Stretching them regularly, helps to avoid injury and reduce pain and tension. And we don’t realise how much we need flexibility in our shoulders until we reach for something and it’s a struggle to get it.
You might not have heard of medial rotation of the shoulder but, ladies, you definitely know if that’s a restriction you have, if you try to reach back to hook your bra on and your arms just can’t reach. The key muscles of the shoulder are the rotator cuff, which is a set of four muscles:
- infraspinatus
- teres minor
- supraspinatus
- subscapularis
There is also trapezius, the deltoids and serratus anterior. So having strong flexible shoulders is key – but how do we get them? I would always prioritise improving the flexibility of your shoulders before strengthening them. Then once your range of movement is good, then that’s the time to start strengthening.
So here are my favourite shoulder mobilising exercises. You can pick one or two to
start or use all of them as a complete mobilisation program.
Shoulders Stretch and Mobility – Pendulum

- Lean forward and place one hand on a counter or table for support. Let
your other arm hang freely at your side. - Gently swing your arm forward and back. Repeat the exercise moving your arm side-to-side, and repeat again in a circular motion.
- Repeat the entire sequence with the other arm.
Shoulders Stretch and Mobility – Cat Cow

- Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees directly below your hips.
- Inhale deeply while curving your lower back and bringing your head up, tilting your pelvis up like a “cow.”
- Exhale deeply and bring your abdomen in, arching your spine and bringing your head and pelvis down like a “cat.”
- Focus on drawing the shoulder blades together in the cow inhalation phase and separating the shoulders in the cat
exhalation phase. - Repeat several times.
Overarms

- Hold a stretchy band shoulder-width apart.
- Raise the hands up above the head and
over the back. - Return the arms back over to the start position.
- Repeat as required.
Active stretching of external rotators

- Lift your arm out to the side and bend at the elbow.
- Fold the rope in half and place the loop in your hand, while your other hand holds the other end of the rope.
- Rotate the shoulder so that the arm turns back. Then gently pull on the rope so that shoulders rotates to it’s full range.
- Hold for 2 secs then release to starting position.
- Repeat as many times as feels comfortable.
- A hand towel can be used to assist you in this stretch if a rope is not available.
Active stretching of internal rotators

- Place your lower arm behind your back with your palm facing away from your body. The upper arm is bent at the elbow (like for triceps stretch) with the palm facing your body.
- Fold the rope in half and place the loop in your lower hand, while your upper hand holds the other end of the rope.
- Use the hand nearest to your head to pull the rope so that the lower arm moves up the spine between the shoulder blades. Hold for 2 secs.
- Ease up on the rope’s tension between stretches to allow your lower arm to move back to the starting position.
- Repeat as many times as is comfortable.
- A hand towel can be used to assist you in this stretch if a rope is not available.
Sleeper Stretch

- Lie on your side on a firm, flat surface with the affected shoulder under you and your arm bent, as shown. You can place your head on a pillow for comfort, if needed.
- Use your unaffected arm to push your other arm down. Stop pressing down when you feel a stretch in the back of your affected shoulder.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds, then relax your arm for 30 seconds.
Tip: Do not bend your wrist or press down on your wrist.
Windows
- Lie flat on your back, knees bent, legs hip width apart, core engaged.
- Hold the arms up to the ceiling, shoulder width apart, palms facing.
- Stretch the arms out to the side, dropping them to the floor and making a cross shape.
- Bend at the elbows and slide the backs of the hands until the arms are straight and above the head.
- Turn the palms to face each other, still shoulder width apart and raise them to
the starting position.
Ball and Pressure

- Lie supine on the floor. Legs can be bent or straight, whichever is comfortable
for you. - Place a tennis ball (or whatever you have to hand that is suitable) into the
belly of the muscle (not on the actual bone ) of the right scapula. The pressure
should be uncomfortable but not agony. - Raise the right arm and move it above your head and down to your knees.
North to south. After a few repetitions, move east to west then make circles,
both clockwise and anticlockwise. - Repeat on the left scapula.
- Move the ball to the top of the scapula, where the shoulder meets the neck,
and repeat the movements that you’ve just done. - Finally, with the ball still in this place, place the hand (of the side with the ball)
on the opposite shoulder and press the elbow with the other hand down,
creating more pressure on the ball.
Scapula resetting
- Lie on your stomach with your arms by your sides.
- Place a pillow under your forehead for comfort, if required.
- Gently draw your shoulder blades together and down your back as far as possible.
- Ease about halfway off from this position and hold for 10 seconds.
- Relax and repeat 10 times.
Tip: Do not tense up in your neck.
Towel Stretch

- Fold a large towel in half and roll it up.
- Place it on a firm surface such as the floor (or your bed if preferred) and lie down on your back on top of the towel. The towel needs to run along the length of your spine.
- Use a pillow to support your neck and bend your knees to project your lower back.
- Relax and breathe! Stay in this position for at least 5 minutes letting gravity work for you, gently stretching your thoracic spine.
- For an extra stretch, bring your arms out to the side to make a ‘T’ shape.
I hope these exercises help you and inspire you to try some stretching. Honestly, it really can make you feel great.
Always make sure you start gently until you are confident as to what your muscles can take. And, as always, you can always give me a ring or email me if you need any help.
Happy stretching!!
Please make sure you have connected with me on Facebook