Your shoulders are designed for movement. You use them in almost everything from reaching and lifting to driving and even sleeping.
Over time your shoulders can become stiff, weak or injured. But the right types of exercises can help keep your shoulders healthy, reduce your risk of injury and help you recover if you’ve been inactive or you have shoulder pain or frozen shoulder.
Why shoulder health matters
“The shoulder is the most mobile joint of the body but the tradeoff is that it lacks stability. That makes it more vulnerable to injury,” said John Ebinger, a board-certified sports clinical specialist with Banner Physical Therapy.
Because your shoulders have a wide range of motion, they depend on nearby muscles and soft tissues for stability. Shoulder problems often develop over time because of:
- Repetitive motions or overuse
- Poor posture
- Long periods of sitting or inactivity
- Injury, surgery or long-lasting pain
Staying active and moving your shoulders regularly helps keep them working well.
Understanding shoulder movement
“There are 17 different muscles that work along with your rotator cuff to move and position your shoulder joint,” Ebinger said.
To keep your shoulders moving as they should, you need to balance:
- Joint mobility
- Muscle strength
- Coordinated movement
- Flexibility
When one part of the system isn’t working well, the shoulder may compensate in ways that lead to pain or stiffness. This is why both flexibility and strength matter.
Exercises that support general shoulder health
There’s not one specific movement that will help keep your shoulders healthy. You need to combine different types of exercises.
Range-of-motion exercises
These exercises gently move your shoulders through their natural motion. They help:
- Keep your shoulders flexible
- Reduce stiffness
- Support circulation
They’re especially useful after you’ve been sitting or not moving much for a long time.
Strengthening exercises
“Strengthening builds stability in the joint,” Ebinger said. It focuses on the muscles that support your shoulders. These types of exercises:
- Help protect your joints during your everyday activities
- Lower the strain on your tendons and ligaments
- Help you control the way your shoulder moves
These movements should always be slow, controlled and pain-free.
Posture-supporting exercises
Poor posture can place extra stress on the shoulders. Exercises that support posture can help you:
- Reduce rounded shoulders
- Improve your upper-back strength
- Decrease the daily strain on your shoulder muscles
Exercises that may help reduce the risk of frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder is a condition where your shoulder gets stiffer over time and you can’t move it as well as you used to. It can come on slowly and can last for months or longer.
“The key is to identify early warning signs, like dull or aching pain deep in the shoulder that comes on gradually and pain at night, followed by a loss in range of motion,” Ebinger said.
Frozen shoulder can have many causes. Risk may be higher for:
- Women age 40 to 60, since frozen shoulder may be linked with hormonal changes from menopause
- People with diabetes
- People with systemic illnesses like thyroid disorders or cardiovascular disease
- People recovering from shoulder injury or surgery
- People who try not to move their shoulder because of pain.
Regularly moving your shoulder gently may help reduce stiffness. Exercises for frozen shoulder focus on:
- Comfort-based motion
- Slow, controlled range-of-motion
- Avoiding forceful or painful stretching
When exercises are part of rehabilitation
After an injury or surgery, your health care provider will probably recommend shoulder exercises as part of a structured rehab plan.
In these cases:
- Working with a physical therapist can help you recover and progress safely
- Your physical therapist will adjust your exercises as you heal
- Overdoing activity too soon can make it take longer for you to recover
Be sure to follow your therapist’s guidance so you’re healing, not making your symptoms worse.
Tips for exercising safely
To protect your shoulders while exercising:
- Warm up before activity. “Try to spend five to 10 minutes preparing your muscles for movement,” Ebinger said.
- Avoid movements that cause sharp pain or make pain worse. “Stop immediately if pain is persistent,” Ebinger said.
- Stop if your range of motion becomes limited.
- Start slowly and ramp up gradually. “Build intensity, duration or frequency by 10% to 15% each week,” Ebinger said.
- Balance activity with rest and recovery.
- Use correct form and technique.
- Stay hydrated.
When to see a provider
“Many people will put off getting care, thinking their shoulder will get better over time. If something doesn’t feel right, chances are it isn’t. It’s in your best interest to see a provider for an evaluation,” Ebinger said.
Consider seeing a provider if you notice:
- Shoulder pain that lasts more than a few weeks
- Increasing stiffness or loss of motion
- Weakness
- Pain that interferes with your sleep, work or daily activities
Getting checked early can help prevent long-term shoulder problems.
The bottom line
Exercises are important for keeping your shoulders healthy and mobile. Whether your goal is to prevent problems or to recover from injury or surgery, gentle movement, balanced strength and listening to your body can help.
If shoulder pain or stiffness limits your activities, a Banner Health provider can help check your symptoms and recommend a plan to keep your shoulders healthy. Reach out today to schedule an appointment.
