Shoulder Mobility - 6 Exercises That Can Help You Improve It!

The shoulder is a vulnerable joint in the upper body. Your shoulder joint becomes vulnerable to imbalances in the muscles as it is strongly supported by them. Bad posture, especially hunched posture, leads to tensions in muscles. This leads to chronic shoulder problems.

Here are six stretches you can do to improve mobility in your shoulder:

1. Thoracic spine roll-out with shoulder flexion: Put a foam roller underneath your shoulder blades after lying down on the floor. The foam roller should be perpendicular to your spine. Place a barbell above your head. Keeping your elbows straight, lower your hips to the floor.
2. Modified downward dog: Bend your knees and put your hips in the air. Place your hands on the floor. Bracing your abdomen, push your hips up. Push up like you are trying to lengthen your spine. As you do this, keep pushing your chest gently to your toes.
3. Loosen the pectorals (muscles of the chest) and latissimus dorsi (widest muscle arising from the lower back): Tight muscles can often lead to shoulder immobility. To loosen pecs, put a softball between the wall and your chest. Putting pressure on the ball, roll it to your pectorals. For the latissimus dorsi, lie down sideways on the floor and put a foam roller between your body and the floor. Follow the same movements as you would do loosen the pecs.
4. Sphinx pose: Lie face down on the floor and prop your body on your elbows. Push your chest off the ground, pressing your shoulder blades together. Stretching your head upwards, lift up one hand. Hold this position for a minute and then change hands.
5. Child’s pose: Kneel down on the ground and sit back on your heels. Then push your torso to the ground and keep your hands stretched in front of you. You should feel a stretch in your shoulders in this position. Hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds.
6. External rotation of the shoulder: Lie down on your side, holding a lightweight dumbbell on your free side. Place a foam roller there for support. Then bend your elbow at a right angle and lift the weight, keeping your upper arm stable. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!