How to quickly and easily improve your shoulder mobility at home: 5 steps

The ability to move your arm in space and reach for objects is crucial for quality of life.  Without it we are limited in the things that we can do - both for work and fun.  Anyone who has had a shoulder injury or surgery can attest to this.  

If you have pain when raising your arm above shoulder height, laying on your side, or even when lifting overhead, these 5 exercises are for you.  The best part is that you can do them at home and they don't take a ton of time. 

1. Thoracic extension

This is an area that most people ignore and can really limit the effectiveness of the rest of your routine. The thoracic spine, or mid-back, is extremely important when it comes to the ability to raise you arm overhead.  The thoracic spine HAS to extend (bend backwards) to allow for full shoulder flexion.  Without it, your shoulder flexion is limited and can become painful.  With this exercise I am using a foam roll but you can get the same effect with a rolled up towel.

​2. Active Release

The next technique utilizes a ball (it can be a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, etc), applying direct pressure on a muscle, and some arm movements to "release" or loosen up the tight muscles.  A lot of people tend to carry their stress in their neck and shoulders and the muscles surrounding these areas can become very tense and tight.  These are some great techniques to quickly loosen up these muscles. 

3. Shoulder Internal Rotation Opener

A common finding after a shoulder injury or even surgery is a lack of internal rotation.  This can cause several issues and can make it difficult to do things like scratch your back, put on a bra, etc.  It can also limit different lifts such as the high pull, where your shoulder is in an internally rotated position. By using a band we can get a great "extra" stretch that will make a big difference.

4. Overhead Band Opener

Another common finding (maybe the most prevalent) is a lack of shoulder flexion, or the ability to raise your arm up in front of you. As I mentioned with the first exercise, this can be from several things such as a lack of thoracic extension, but it can also stem from tight tissues in the shoulder itself such as muscles or even the joint capsule.  This is one of my go-to exercises to help people obtain end-range flexion.

5. Thoracic Prayer Stretch

While it isn't often associated with the shoulder the latissimus dorsi, or "lat" for short, goes from your lower back all the way up to the front of your shoulder.  If this muscle become tight, it can limit your ability to reach over head and externally rotate your arm.  The thoracic prayer stretch not only helps stretch the lat out but it also works on thoracic extension at the same time. 

​Have you tried these exercises but are still having shoulder pain and/or limited mobility? 

Here at Kaizen, we have worked with hundreds of patients just like you who have had shoulder pain and are concerned, frustrated and don't know what to do.  

How can we help you get back to doing the things you love?

We utilize the Kaizen 3 step process:

The Kaizen 3 Step Process
Step 1: Find The Source and Relieve Your Pain
Step 2: Fix The Root Cause Of ​The Problem
Step 3: ​TeachYou How To Keep It From Coming Back!

We offer 60 minute sessions - both in-person and remotely,  working one-on-one with Dr. Ladd to determine your problems, set goals and develop a personalized plan of care.  This hassle-free process reduces the number of needed appointments, saves you time and saves you money. 

It's time to get you back in the game and keep you there.

Give us a call at 515-339-2906 or fill out a contact request at the link below:

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