Relieve Shoulder Pain with Simple Exercises

Before doing shoulder pain exercise understand what is causing it and which muscle group is affected and then you can begin to change it.

Shoulder Myalgia or muscle pain feels like a pain in the neck!

It is felt in the upper back, shoulder, and neck area originating in the trapezius muscle.

The trapezius muscle is a large thin muscle group between the shoulder and neck.

There is an upper, lower, and middle set of this muscle group. Sometimes you can actually feel a knot there.

CAUSES:

· Stress may be causing your pain or, like me, you may have a bad setup for your computer work.

· Adjust your computer keyboard so it’s at elbow level to relieve your shoulder pain and if your mouse is too far away this may cause discomfort as well.

Use your mouse by moving just your wrist with your forearm resting on the desk so as not to work the trapezius muscles and aggravate the shoulder myalgia.

· Another cause of shoulder myalgia may be weak muscles in the upper back and shoulder area.

After breaking my collarbone I started to develop this shoulder myalgia, or muscle pain due to the atrophy of muscles while the bone was healing and I wasn’t able to use that arm and shoulder.

Basically atrophy is when the muscles deteriorate due to lack of use.

Shoulder Pain Exercises to help Relieve Shoulder Pain, as well as that Pain in the Neck:

The Dart or Arrow

Good For:

This exercise not only helps to relieve shoulder pain but it really works the muscles of the upper back (trapezius) while stretching the shoulders and neck.

Position:

Lay on your stomach with your forehead on a towel and arms at your sides, palms face down.

Movement:

“Zip up” your abdominal muscles like you’ve just put on a tight pair of jeans and hollow out your pelvis. Lift your chest and head off the mat, keeping your nose pointed down.

Raise your arms up about 2 inches off the mat reaching your fingertips to the end of the mat with your palms up.

Make this upper back pain exercise harder by staying lifted through the head and chest and reaching your arms out to the sides turning your palms down.

Work up to 4 repetitions trying to hold longer each time, up to 20 seconds.

Tips:

Keep looking down and reaching out through the crown of your head. Abs stay zipped up as you feel your shoulders slide down your back. Keep the feet down and knees and thighs heavy into the mat so you don’t squeeze the glutes.

Band Pulls:

Good Upper Back Pain Exercise:

I like any pulling exercises because they help to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the upper back and shoulders decreasing my shoulder myalgia (muscle) pain.

Band wrapped around solid object or around your feet if sitting holding one end of the band in each hand.

Movement:

Move 1: Pull your elbows straight back as you reach your hands to your waist, similar to a rowing motion.

Move 2: Standing with the band wrapped high and your arms straight pull the band with your palms down by your side or thighs. Your palms should face behind you.

Tips:

Stay tall with chest open and length up through the back top of your head so you feel your shoulders sliding down and together.

Upper Back and Trapezius Muscle Stretch

Standing or kneeling with your hands crossed over each other resting on a counter or chair.

Exercise:

Let your chest sink down as you pull your shoulder blades wide on your back reaching away farther. Repeat with the other hand crossed over. Do this a few times with each hand position.

Tips: Try lifting your head up and looking over each shoulder for a little extra neck stretch.

Find these and many more exercises to relieve shoulder pain in the new Shoulder ebook available here.

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