6 Mobility Exercises To Improve Shoulder Mobility

These mobility exercises were developed to help relieve and prevent shoulder mobility problems, especially for people who wish to do exercises and spend much of their time seated without enough back, chest, neck and shoulder exercise. These exercises can be done throughout the day to break the normal routine.

1. Quadruped Shoulder Circles

Helps you to loosen up the shoulder muscles

• Begin by getting down on your hands and knees
• Have your palms on the floor under your shoulders and place your knees under your hips
• Push your body towards the floor and make a circular type motion with your head by shrugging your shoulders and moving them up to your ears.
• Rotate your shoulders back again and around under your ears closer to your head. Make ten circles, one way and then reverse for another ten

2. Clasped Hands Extension

This exercise helps you to stretch the back portion of your shoulder and also helps you to get rid of an unhealthy slouched posture

• Sit comfortably on a stool or on the floor
• Clasp your hands together behind your back, then extend your arms straight out to the back
• Sit straight and squeeze your shoulder to pull your arms in the other way
• When you feel the stretch stop and hold ten seconds, repeat 6 times

3. Wall Angels

These mobility exercises help improve your shoulder flexibility

• Stand with your back straight against a wall
• Hold your arms parallel to the wall and at right angles to your body
• Keep your butt, shoulders and arms continuously touching the wall
• Extend out your fingers towards the ceiling and extend your arms up towards the ceiling
• When your arms are fully extended, allow them to slowly lower to the start position and repeat

4. Corner Stretch

This stretch is effective for enhancing the internal shoulder muscles

• Stand in a corner facing it and about 10 inches away
• Place one leg out in front and your palms flat to the wall above your head so your elbows are bent to 45 degrees
• Put some pressure on your front leg until you feel the stretch and hold for about 20 seconds, then relax and repeat with the other leg

5. Sphinx Position with Anterior Reach

To help stabilize your shoulder and arm muscles

• Lie on your stomach with your forearms and elbows on the floor
• Push your chest off the floor and stretch your head upwards
• Extend your arm out until you feel the stretch and hold for 90 seconds, then repeat with the other arm times six

6. Downward Dog

Stretches and strengthens the shoulder muscles

• Start on all fours with palms down under your shoulders
• Push both your legs back so your hips lift up high forming an inverted “V”
• Keep a straight line from your butt to your shoulders
• Push your shoulders and chest towards your thighs and keep your heels on the ground
• Hold 30 seconds, then relax and repeat

Many people find they have shoulder and neck mobility problems because of the type of work they do and the lack of movement this allows them. These six simple mobility exercises help to strengthen, regain flexibility and suppleness while restoring full movement.