1. Circle Magic
Pilates magic circle exercises can be a great way to relieve shoulder pain and strengthen the arms and upper back. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and legs straight; however, do not lock your knees. Keep your back tall and straight and your shoulders relaxed. Place the magic circle behind your back so that it is horizontal to the ground and allow one edge to press into your back. Lift the circle only as far as you can comfortably. Continue to stand straight and draw your elbows back, actively pushing your shoulders down. You can hold here to gently stretch the shoulders and sides of the neck, or work on strength by pushing your hands together in slow, controlled pulses. Hold for three to five deep breaths or five to ten pulses and then relax, repeating two or three times.
2. Let Your Weight Do the Work
The bridge is a great way to ease shoulder pain with Pilates, as it uses your own body weight to gently massage sore, tired muscles. Lay on your back with your arms at your sides, drawing your knees up with your feet flat on the ground. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, push into your feet, lifting your hips to form a straight line with your body. Relax your shoulders and allow all of your weight to fall into the space between your shoulder blades. For sore shoulders, this should feel fabulous. Hold the pose for at least ten full breaths and then gently roll down from neck to hips and repeat two or three times. To further stretch the shoulders with Pilates bridge pose, you can place your hands together below your body and then roll up onto your shoulders; however, make sure that you continue to keep your shoulder relaxed.
3. All Gain, No Pain
When using Pilates for shoulder pain, gaining strength is just as important as relieving tension and increasing flexibility. While there are many Pilates exercises for the shoulders, wall push ups are gentle and effective for virtually all body types. Stand about 2 feet away from a wall and place your palms on the wall directly in front of you. With your abs and buttocks firm, gently drop your weight forward, bringing your chest as close to the wall as possible as you keep your elbows into your body and shoulders down. Perform two or three sets of ten wall push ups. You can adjust the difficulty by stepping closer to the wall to make it a bit easier or further away to give yourself a challenge.
