When your shoulders are healthy and strong, you might take them for granted. It’s effortless for you to play golf or tennis, at least as far as your shoulders are concerned. You can lift a child, raise your arms to grab that jar of pasta sauce from a high kitchen shelf and wash your hair without giving it a thought.
But if you have shoulder pain, you quickly realize how often you use that joint and how much pain can limit your life. “Some people with shoulder issues have trouble putting on their seatbelts, dressing themselves and even sleeping well at night,” said Caitlin Hall, an orthopedic surgery physician assistant with Banner – University Medicine. “To prevent these struggles, it’s critical to understand how to maintain strong and healthy shoulder joints.”
When you exercise your shoulder muscles, you build the strength, flexibility and shoulder stability you need to stay pain free and function well. Simple shoulder exercises can be added to your overall fitness routine at home or in the gym using minimal equipment or body weight.
Be mindful of your body’s limitations when you incorporate these exercises into your routine. Be sure to talk to a health care professional to make sure these exercises are right for you.
Start with a warm-up
It’s smart to warm up before you start any type of exercise. “Proper warm-up is critical to preventing injury,” Hall said. Take a few minutes to:
- Roll your shoulders and circle your arms in both directions.
- Reach each arm straight out in front of you.
- Stretch your arms across your body.
- Lean forward so your chest is parallel to the floor and swing each arm like a pendulum.
After your warm-up, you can move into exercises. For these exercises, you can use body weight, resistance bands or hand weights. Be sure to use proper form, start with light resistance, increase weight gradually and perform the exercises with control and stability—don’t rely on momentum.
Strengthen your rotator cuff
Your rotator cuff muscles help stabilize your shoulder.
- Internal rotation with resistance bands. Secure one end of the band to a hook or doorknob. Hold the handle in your right hand with the band stretched to your right. Keep your elbow close to your body with your hand straight in front of you. Pull your hand across your body at waist level, then slowly return it to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then switch to the other side.
- External rotation with resistance bands. Secure one end of the band to a hook or doorknob. Hold the handle in your right hand with the band stretched to your left. Keep your elbow close to your body with your hand across your body at waist level. Rotate your arm away from your body, then return it to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then switch to the other side. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells and lying on your side.
- Prone Y, T and W exercises. Lay on the floor on your stomach, put your arms overhead in a Y position and squeeze your shoulder blades. Move your arms straight out to the sides in a T position with your palms facing the floor, then pull your elbows toward each other in a W position. Return to the Y position and repeat 10 to 15 times.
Build stability in your shoulder blades
Shoulder blade (scapular) stability is crucial to maintaining good mechanics in your shoulders.
- Scapular retractions. Lie on your stomach on a table or bench with one arm hanging down toward the floor. Keep your elbow straight and lift a weight slowly by squeezing your shoulder blade toward the opposite side. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then perform the exercise on the opposite side.
- Scapula setting. Lie on your stomach with your arms by your sides and gently draw your shoulder blades together. Relax, then repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Scapular wall push-ups. Stand one to one-and-a-half feet from a wall, facing it. Put your hands on the wall at shoulder height and width. Keep your back straight and lower yourself to the wall by bending your elbows. Push back to standing. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Wall slides. Stand facing a wall with one foot slightly in front of the other. Put your forearms against the wall with your elbows 90 degrees from your body and your hands directly above them. Slide your arms overhead up the wall as far as you can, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Posture-correcting exercises
Poor posture can harm your shoulders and put you at risk for injury. These exercises can promote good posture and strengthen the muscles that keep your body aligned properly. Be sure to be mindful of your posture throughout the day, not just when you’re exercising.
- Floor angels. Lay on the floor face up. Put your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent. Put your elbows straight out from your body with your hands straight up from them at 90 degrees (“cactus arms” or “goal posts”). Extend your arms overhead along the floor, then return them to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Wall angels. Stand with your back against a wall and your back and head touching the wall. Put your elbows straight out from your body with your hands straight up from them at 90 degrees (“cactus arms” or “goal posts”). Extend your arms overhead along the wall, then return them to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Seated rows. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Loop a resistance band under your feet and hold both handles. Pull the handles to your waist, keeping your elbows close to your body. Squeeze your shoulder blades, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Strengthen your upper body
Keeping your upper body strong helps stabilize your shoulders.
- Push-ups. Put your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders with your knees or your toes on the floor and your back in a straight line. Lower your body until your elbows are at 90 degrees, then push up to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Chest presses. Lay on the floor with a resistance band under your back, holding the handles in both hands. Put your elbows out to the side at 90 degrees and your hands up straight. Push the handles up toward the ceiling, then lower to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells.
- Lat pulldowns. Attach a resistance band to an overhead hook or anchor. Grab the handles with your arms straight and shoulder-width apart and kneel on the ground. Pull the handles down to your thighs, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 times. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells.
- Shoulder presses. Stand with the resistance band under your feet, your hands above your shoulders and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Press your arms straight up, then slowly bring them back down. Repeat 10 to 15 times. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells.
Improve flexibility and mobility
Your shoulders work at their best when they are flexible, and they can move well through a wide range of motion. Go gently with these exercises so you don’t overstretch.
- Shoulder stretches. Stand with your arms by your sides. Pull your shoulders back and down and hold for five to ten seconds.
- Cross-body stretches. Reach one arm across your body just below shoulder height. Gently pull it toward your body with your other arm. Hold for five to ten seconds, then repeat with the other side.
- Behind-the-back shoulder stretches. Hold a resistance band and put one hand behind your neck so the band hangs down along your back. Grab the band with your other hand and gently pull. Hold for five to ten seconds, then repeat with the other side.
Include cross-training and rest
Doing different types of exercise and giving your muscles time to recover and repair can help keep your shoulders and your whole body healthy and strong. Incorporate cardiovascular exercise, full-body strength training and flexibility work into your shoulder-strengthening routine.
Proceed with caution with these shoulder exercises
Hall warns that some exercises can be challenging on your shoulder joint. “They can put too much stress on your rotator cuff muscles and tendons and could lead to an injury, especially if you do them incorrectly. It might be wise to remove them from your workout to protect your shoulder,” she said.
They include:
- Tricep dips/bench dips
- Overhead press/military press with weight behind the head
- Lateral dumbbell raises with palms or thumbs down
- Upright rows
The bottom line
When your shoulder is uncomfortable or painful, doing everyday activities and the things you enjoy can be hard. A routine for strengthening your shoulders can keep them healthy and flexible. If you would like to connect with a health care professional to learn more about taking care of your shoulders, reach out to Banner Health.
