Your shoulders are highly mobile and complex ball and socket joints. The head of your upper arm bone--the humerus--sits in a shallow depression in your scapula and is held in place by numerous ligaments and muscles including the deltoid muscles and the rotator cuff. The shoulders can become stiff and inflexible with age, as a result of injury or because of an unbalanced fitness training program. Keep your shoulders flexible by stretching them regularly.
Doorway Shoulder Stretch
This stretch focuses on the front of your shoulders--the anterior deltoids--and the chest muscles. Stand in front of an open doorway. Place your forearms on the vertical door frame so that your elbows are level with your shoulders. Adopt a staggered stance and then lean your chest through the doorway until you feel a mild stretch across the front of your shoulders. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds, increasing the depth of the stretch as you relax.
Posterior Wrist Grab
The exercise will develop all-round shoulder flexibility. Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Reach your left arm up above your head and then bend your arm, placing your hand between your shoulder blades. Reach behind you with your right hand and place your hand up your back. Slide your hands together until your fingers meet. If your flexibility allows, try to grasp the wrist of your opposite hand. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds before changing sides and repeating. If you are unable to reach your hands together, you can use a short towel or piece of rope to bridge the gap until your flexibility improves.
Reverse Prayer Stretch
This yoga-inspired stretch will develop flexibility in the fronts of your shoulders. Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Reach behind you and place the palms of your hands flat together. Keeping your fingers pointing downward, slide your hands up your back until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulders. Make sure you don't allow your shoulders to rise up toward your ears. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. You can intensify this stretch by rotating your hands so that your fingers are pointing up your back instead of down toward the floor.
Posterior Deltoid Stretch
This stretch is for your posterior deltoids, or rear shoulder muscles. Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Rest your left hand lightly on your right shoulder and grasp just above your left elbow with your right hand. Keep your left arm parallel to the floor. Pull your left arm across your body until you feel a stretch in the back of your left shoulder. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds and then change sides.
Broomstick Dislocations
Despite the name, this exercise is a beneficial stretch for the whole shoulder complex. Stand with your feet together and hold a broomstick in front of you in an overhand grip. Use as wide a grip as the length of the broomstick allows. Raise the broomstick up and over your head so that it travels behind you and touches your lower back. Return to the starting position. Bring your hands slightly closer together and repeat. Continue moving your hands closer together repetition by repetition until you can no longer perform the exercise comfortably.
References
- "Yoga for Regular Guys"; Diamond Dallas Page and Dr. Craig Aaron; 2005
- "Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training"; Thomas Kurz; 2003
- "Stretching: 30th Anniversary Edition"; Bob Anderson and Jean Anderson; 2010
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