Shoulder Exercises: How to Get Rid of Pain and Improve Mobility

Did you know that the shoulder joint is one of the most commonly injured joints in sports? Up to 28% of all sports injuries affect the shoulder area. In contrast, the hip joint, which is more stable, is injured much less often. Why is that? (Jones & Roberts, 2015).

In this article, we will look at the most common causes of shoulder pain and show how the right shoulder exercises can help relieve pain, restore shoulder mobility, and strengthen the joint. You will also learn how to prevent shoulder injuries, improve athletic performance, and speed up shoulder rehabilitation after an injury.

The Shoulder: The Most Mobile but Most Vulnerable Joint

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the human body, allowing it to perform complex movements such as lifting, rotation, and various overhead motions. However, this high mobility also means a greater susceptibility to injury.

The shoulder joint has a shallow socket that doesn't provide as much stability as other joints in the body. This makes it more prone to injuries such as dislocations, rotator cuff injuries, labral tears, or impingement. Statistically, the shoulder is injured in approximately 20% of all joint problems (Smith et al., 2017), whereas the hip joint is affected in only 5-10% of cases (Jones & Roberts, 2015).

Diagnoses Associated with Shoulder Pain

There are many conditions that can lead to shoulder pain. Some are caused by injuries, while others are chronic problems that we often don't even realize we have. Below are some common diagnoses associated with shoulder pain:

Rotator Cuff – Inflammation or Tear

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) that stabilize the shoulder and enable its movement. Inflammation or tearing of any of these muscles and their tendons (often referred to as tendinopathy) is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. This condition can be caused by overuse, injury, or age-related changes. In addition to the rotator cuff muscles, the long biceps tendon plays an important role in shoulder stability, and its overuse or acute injury can contribute to shoulder pain.

Symptoms include pain, limited range of motion, and muscle weakness. Everyday activities such as lifting heavier objects or rotating the arm can become difficult, and sleeping on the affected or healthy side is often painful.

Impingement syndrome

Impingement syndrome occurs when the rotator cuff muscles are compressed, leading to inflammation and pain. This condition often arises from repetitive overhead movements, such as throwing or lifting heavy objects. The pain typically worsens when raising the arm or performing certain overhead movements.

Although impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendinopathy are very similar diagnoses, there are some differences. Impingement syndrome refers to a condition where the rotator cuff muscles are mechanically pinched between the bones of the shoulder joint, causing irritation and inflammation. On the other hand, rotator cuff tendinopathy focuses specifically on inflammation or degenerative changes in the tendons of these muscles. In practice, the symptoms and treatment of these conditions are often very similar, but the cause and mechanism can differ slightly.

Labral injury

The labrum is a cartilage structure that surrounds the shoulder joint socket and helps stabilize the head of the humerus in the joint. Labral injuries (often referred to as SLAP lesions) are typically caused by repetitive stress or impact movements, such as throwing or lifting heavy objects, but they can also result from a fall onto the shoulder or arm.

Symptoms include pain in the shoulder, weakness, limited range of motion, and a feeling of "catching" or clicking in the joint, which is specific to labral injuries.

Shoulder Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a degenerative disease that affects the joint cartilage, leading to its wear and tear. This condition can be caused by age, repetitive stress movements, or injuries.

Osteoarthritis leads to pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the shoulder. Similarly, osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint (AC joint), which is the joint between the clavicle and the shoulder, can lead to similar symptoms, with pain often localized around the collarbone. Symptoms include pain with movement, swelling, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the affected joint. In some cases, crepitus (crunching) may be present during movement.

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

"Frozen shoulder" is a condition where inflammatory and fibrous tissue forms around the shoulder joint, leading to significant stiffness and pain. The exact cause of this disease is not yet fully understood. However, it often appears after injuries, surgeries, or prolonged immobility of the shoulder. It is also associated with certain metabolic diseases, particularly diabetes. Affected individuals experience limited range of motion and severe pain that worsens with both active and passive movement attempts. The condition may develop slowly and last for months to years.

How Shoulder Exercises Can Help?

If you're suffering from shoulder pain, exercises can be an effective way to relieve pain, strengthen muscles, and improve range of motion. It's important that the shoulder exercises are tailored to your current condition and abilities. I advocate for an approach where the chosen exercise should not worsen the pain – ideally, it should be performed within the tolerated pain range, meaning it's bearable for you and does not exacerbate your symptoms.

Below, I will provide some examples of exercises for shoulder health that can benefit almost anyone – not only patients in rehabilitation but also individuals seeking to prevent shoulder issues or athletes looking to enhance performance and avoid shoulder overuse injuries.

Shoulder Exercises - All in One

There are a wide variety of shoulder exercises – the Exercise Library currently contains over 100 exercises, with or without equipment. It includes both very simple exercises suitable for conditions like frozen shoulder and more advanced variations intended for performance and professional athletes. Thanks to this variety, anyone can find suitable exercises – regardless of age, fitness level, or specific issues.

For an idea, I will now present a small sample of exercises that are part of the ever-expanding Exercise Library.

Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises

For example, this exercise primarily focuses on scapula and upper thoracic spine mobility – areas that are very important for overall shoulder health and can significantly improve shoulder mechanics.

Or this one, which can be used by almost anyone – always adjusted according to the level of pain and current mobility. It's a shoulder joint mobilization exercise with a circular motion – a great exercise for shoulder health and scapula mobility, also suitable for elite athletes in overhead disciplines.

Shoulder Exercises with Dumbbells

More advanced versions with dumbbells, kettlebells, or plates (weights) are used by physiotherapists, trainers, and patients in later stages of rehabilitation, or in performance training. For example, this excellent exercise for shoulder stability, activation, and strengthening of the serratus anterior muscle – a muscle that is often significantly weakened, and its function is closely related to shoulder mechanics and the development of pain.

Shoulder Exercises with Resistance Bands

There are plenty of shoulder exercises with resistance bands or power bands in the library. Bands are a great tool because they allow you to choose various levels of resistance, and the variety of exercises is practically unlimited. For example, this basic exercise for internal rotation – isometric – will be useful for many patients with acute shoulder pain.

Looking for Shoulder Exercise Inspiration?

If you’ve made it this far, I’d be happy to offer you a discount – use the code ARTICLE30 to get a 30% discount on the entire Exercise Library. For more information about the Exercise Library click here.

Join our community of people who have access to the library, whether for daily training, home exercises, or as inspiration for improving health and performance.