Do you sometimes have shoulder pain? The shoulders are areas of the body that crystallize many tensions, which can reduce our range of motion. On a daily basis, after a day spent on the screen or a sports training, stretch your shoulders with these 5 exercises and release the tensions!
The shoulder is a collection of muscles and joints. Complex, its very mobile articulation allows us to move our arms in different directions: in front, behind, inward, outward. A joint that is not very mobile and muscles that are too stiff can lead to back pain, pain in the neck and nape of the neck, discomfort in our daily movements such as raising the arm, getting dressed, carrying a bag, moving an object, to brush hair. It is therefore extremely important to maintain joint mobility and the flexibility of your muscles to preserve your freedom of movement and keep pain away.
Understanding the physiognomy of the shoulder, a frequent area of tension
Discomfort or stiffness in the shoulder can settle insidiously and end up causing recurring pain on a daily basis. Repetitive movements such as moving objects or handling a computer mouse can maintain this pain and create chronic inflammation. Besides, tendonitis of the shoulder is the second reason for consultation after low back pain. Carrying a drink, putting something on a shelf or putting on a jacket then becomes problematic actions because the gestures are painful. Mobilizing your shoulders allows you to gain well-being every day and to protect yourself from tendonitis and other injuries.
The deltoid is the shoulder muscle which forms its curve and which is composed of 3 bundles: the anterior deltoid (at the front of the shoulder), the mid deltoid (on the lateral part) and the posterior deltoid (at the back of the shoulder). But the deltoid isn't the only shoulder muscle to be tense. Other muscles involved in its joint and can also be subjected to tensions: the muscles of the chest (the small and the large pectoral), the muscles of the shoulder blades (scapula elevator, subscapular), the back muscles (trapezoid, large dorsal and large circle).
If you experience tension or pain in your shoulders after spending a good part of the day sitting or following a workout, try these stretching exercises to release tension in the shoulder muscles.
Good to know before you start your shoulder exercises
- It’s good to do some self-massage in the area you’re going to stretch with a ball or a small self-massage roller. If you don't have a roller, a tennis ball will do the trick.
- Perform each stretch with a gentle, deep breath to increase muscle relaxation.
- Never force, you could get the opposite effect, the muscle contracting by protection. You could also create or increase damage to the muscle fibers.
- After a very intense workout, postpone your stretching session until later. For example, the next day. Do not stretch a sore or injured muscle.
- No need to sweat during your session to hydrate yourself, so drink regularly.
1st exercise: stretching before the shoulder
The starting position: Stand upright with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. With your left hand, grab your right wrist behind your back.
Movement : On exhalation, gently pull your right arm down and to the left. Hold for 30 seconds before releasing and trying again. Then change arms.
Benefits: This exercise stretches the anterior beam as well as the middle beam of the shoulder.
2nd exercise: stretching of the medial part of the shoulder
The starting position: Standing, back straight and shoulders relaxed, bring your right arm in front of the chest.
Movement : On exhalation, press your arm toward your chest and pull your elbow down slightly. Hold for 30 seconds, release the posture and try again. Then change arms.
Benefits: This movement mainly stretches the middle beam but also the back of the shoulder (posterior beam).
3rd exercise: Stretching the back of the shoulder
The starting position: Standing, back straight, your shoulders are lowered. Bring your right arm in front of the chest and slightly diagonally, the hand over the left shoulder.
Movement : On exhalation, apply pressure to the right arm and slightly pull your elbow up, using the upper arm. Keep stretching for 30 seconds before relaxing and trying again. Then do the same with the other arm.
Benefits: This exercise stretches the back of the shoulder but also the upper back including the trapezium, a large dorsal muscle that accumulates many tensions during the day.
4th exercise: stretch the shoulders, but also the chest
The position of departure: Sitting on the floor, place your arms outstretched behind the glutes, hands flat on the floor.
Movement : Take a deep breath to open the chest and lengthen the spine. Exhale, let the shoulders stretch. Adjust your posture by moving back or bringing your hands closer to your glutes. Stay in the position 30 to 45 seconds, keeping your breathing fluid.
Benefits: This exercise stretches the shoulder and chest muscles, thereby opening the rib cage.
5th exercise: stretching the back with the shoulders
The position of departure: Standing, facing a chair or a wall. Place your hands on the backrest and tilt the chest forward, from the hips.
Movement : Inhale, lengthen the back, push the glutes behind but by distributing the weight of the body well on all the foot. Bend your knees slightly. Exhale, bring the chest towards the ground, the head and the nape between the arms. Hold the stretch for 30 to 45 seconds to untie your entire upper body.
Benefits: This exercise stretches the shoulder, chest and back muscles.
The right actions to prevent shoulder pain
Finally, to prevent shoulder pain, it is important to:
1. Strengthen the rotator cuff (set of muscle tendons located at the shoulder joint) to prevent muscle imbalances.
2. Self-massage using a ball and roller to treat muscle, tendon and fascia tensions.
3. Work on joint mobility to maintain good range of motion.
4. Stretch to reduce muscle tension.
Your special shoulder shopping
A book : To stretch daily or after a sports session, find other exercises in the book by Elodie Sillaro, sports coach, Stretching Express, Amphora Editions. € 9.95
A self-massage roller fascias, of the Blackroll brand to assure you efficiency and flawless quality. Consumer reviews attest to this. To order online here, € 31.50.