The shoulders are a remarkably well-engineered structure of interconnecting muscles, bones, ligaments, joints, and nerves, all working together to provide the body with the most extensive range of motion. However, like many other parts of the body, this complex structure is vulnerable to injury and pain.

There are several causes of shoulder pain, weak core and poor posture from sitting all day (which leads to a change in balance to the shoulders, resulting in pinched tendons and injured rotator cuffs), which are the two main contributing factors to backaches and discomfort. Beyond the pain, injured shoulders will result in reduced movement and weakness of the shoulders and upper arms. It’s thus important to include gentle stretches into your everyday movement mix to ensure good shoulder health. Alleviate your shoulder pain by incorporating the following 3 simple stretches to add to your movement mix.

1. Open Book Stretch

The open book helps to improve upper back movement by enhancing mobility through the spine, particularly through the thoracic region (longest region of the spine). Good thoracic mobility is essential for proper shoulder, neck, and back function, keeping shoulder and low back pain at a minimum. Besides thoracic mobilisation, pen book stretches also help open the chest and frontal shoulder muscles, which helps relieve tension and increase the flexibility of muscles and connective tissue, effectively promoting better body movements.

2. Chin Retractions

Sometimes, the pain you feel in your shoulders isn’t caused by injured shoulders, but your neck. In your neck, there are nerves that travel to your shoulders and upper back. When these nerves are irritated, it can cause pain that radiates towards your shoulder. Plus, the neck and shoulders are interconnected – they share some of the same muscles, tendons, and ligaments. If any of these parts are strained or irritated, both your neck and shoulders may be affected.

Chin retraction exercises help to relieve tension in your neck and shoulders by counteracting chronic forward neck posture, effectively reducing the workload for many of the muscles attached to the neck and shoulders. Strengthened deep neck flexor muscles can help improve slouched posture and bring your head closer to its neutral position, correcting your body’s balance.

3. Sphinx Pose

The sphinx pose is a stretch that incorporates the muscles of the shoulders and lower back. This exercise helps to accentuate the natural arch of the spine, stretching up the tight areas around the spine, as well as strengthening the shoulder blade stabilisers and lower back muscles. This helps to improve your movement patterns and stability within the upper extremity, alleviating the tension within your shoulders. You can refer to our video above as a guide, or if you wish for a greater stretch, you can opt for a bow pose, where you grab the outer edges of your ankles with your hands as you lift your rib cage and shoulders towards your ears.

Relieve Your Shoulder Pain at Equilibrio Health

If these stretches fail to yield any results, you may want to consider seeking professional help. At Equilibrio Chiropractic, we are committed to helping you feel your best. With our wide range of chiropractic and physical therapy services, we can help alleviate and manage your shoulder pain, among other musculoskeletal conditions. Consider opting for our dry needling therapy to treat muscular tension and pain within your shoulders and back.

Book a consultation with our chiropractors in Singapore to learn more.

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