12 Shoulder Stretches To Loosen Your Tight Shoulders

This is a basic stretch that targets the back part of the shoulder, also known as rear deltoids. The cross-body shoulder stretch eliminates stiffness from the shoulder by rotating the muscles from the inside.

With regular use of this stretch, you can also enjoy a better posture, which further contributes to shoulder health.

How To Do It:

• Begin with a standing or sitting position according to your preference.
• Now place one of your arms across your chest in a stretched position.
• Using your other arm, pull the extended arm gently towards your chest.
• Hold the position for around 20 to 30 seconds and slowly release the arm.
• Do the same with the other arm. Repeat the process at least three times for both hands.

Doorway Pectoral Stretch is another simple yet effective exercise to cure shoulder stiffness. All you need for this exercise is an open doorway, obviously where you can fit.

This stretch mostly targets anterior delts, pectoral major and minors, and coracobrachialis to reduce unwanted tension from the shoulders.

How To Do It:

• Find an open doorway and stand in its center, placing your hand on the frame.
• Both hands should be positioned slightly higher than your shoulder height.
• Step one of your feet forward and lean along with it until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
• At the top stretch, hold for 30 seconds for more effectiveness.

Recognized as one of the best shoulder stretch exercises, thread the needle is both effective and gentle on the shoulders. It targets the sides and back part of the shoulder to improve flexibility and reduce tightness.

Likewise, this exercise also targets the upper back muscles that play a supporting role in shoulder movements.

How To Do It:

• Start on all fours on the floor. Place both your knees and hands on the floor to make a tabletop with your body.
• Keep your spine in a neutral position. Slowly extend one arm toward the ceiling.
• Now follow the extended arm back towards the ground and below the other arm.
• Let your extended arm and shoulder be in the position for a few seconds while resting your head on the floor.
• Holding the position, take a few deep breaths and feel the stretch.
• Following a gentle movement, get out of the stretch and repeat on the other side.
• Repeat it for a couple of times on both sides.

Most people know of shoulder raises as a workout only for gym athletes. However, this is all a misconception because the proper use of this exercise can also be effective in lowering shoulder pain caused by tightness.

In this situation, it is performed empty-handed to stabilize the shoulder joints and to free up restricted movements. This contributes to a decrease in stiffness and improved mobility.

How To Do It:

• Similar to the starting position of shoulder rolls, while standing or sitting, let your arms hang by the sides.
• Maintain a straight back and lift the shoulders towards your ears.
• Hold the shoulders at the top for a few seconds and lower them back down slowly.
• Repeat the movements for 5 to 10 times.

Ear to shoulder, AKA neck titt, stretches the muscles in the upper shoulders which can become stiff due to poor posture and hours of continuous sitting. This exercise also gives a sense of relaxation and enhances blood flow to the shoulders.

When this happens, internal inflammations get reduced leading to less pain and improvement in overall shoulder health.

How To Do It:

• Take a seat with a straight spine and tilt your head towards one of your shoulders.
• Try to go as close as possible without lifting your other shoulder blade.
• For a deep stretch, you can use your hand to pull the head down adjacent to the shoulder.
• Hold the head stretched for 30 seconds.
• In a similar way, repeat on the opposite side.

Child pose is one of the most versatile stretches on this list. It is a yoga pose that dominates the back part of the shoulders and the muscles connecting it to the back and neck.

By balancing these areas, this shoulders stretch helps to alleviate tightness building up in the shoulder, preventing you from future injury and unbearable pain.

How To Do It:

• Begin with a tabletop position on the floor.
• Bring both your toes together and spread your knees apart per your comfort.
• Sit back on your heels and extend your arms forward, lowering your chest between the things.
• Touch the ground with your forehead. Extend your arms as far as possible with palms facing downwards.
• Feel the stretch on your shoulder and allow it to relax.
• Take deep breaths and hold the position as long as you feel comfortable.
• Do it two to three times a day for better results.

Similar to the child pose, Eagle Arms is also a traditional yoga pose. This pose will stretch the deltoids and rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder. A slight tension in the upper back is also created by this pose.

How To Do It:

• Start with a straight back while in a seated or standing position.
• Extend both arms straight in front of your shoulder.
• Cross your right arm under your left arm while bending the elbows.
• Wrap your arms around each other and try to bring your palms together.
• If you cannot touch the palms together, press the back of your hands.
• Slightly lift your elbows to deepen the stretch while maintaining dropped shoulders.
• Hold the position for 15-30 seconds and focus on relaxing your shoulders.

Downward Facing Dog is a stabilizing yoga asana that can be quite helpful in loosening up tight shoulders. The extension of arms caused during this asana leads to deep stretch in the shoulders. 

This helps in opening up the shoulder blades and aligns the joints ultimately reducing tension.

How To Do It:

• Place yourself in a tabletop position on the floor. Maintain the hands at shoulder width distance.
• Spread out your fingers and press firmly on the mat.
• Tuck your toes in and lift the knees off the ground.
• Slowly reach your hips up and back while straightening your legs as much as possible.
• After holding the position for a moment, take a deep breath and gently lower your knees back to get out of the stretch. 

This is another simple exercise you can try to get rid of shoulder stiffness. Despite its simplicity, shoulder rolls are a totally worthwhile exercise. This particular stretch exercise for the shoulder works almost every part of the shoulder in just a few easy steps. 

All you have to do is roll your shoulder back and forth in a controlled way.

How To Do It:

• Find a flat surface and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Let your arms loose and let them hang down at the sides of the body.
• While breathing in slowly, lift your shoulders up towards the ears.
• At the top, move the shoulders slightly back to squeeze the shoulder blades together.
• Slowly drop the shoulder back down to complete a full circle.
• Follow a similar movement about 10 to 15 times for three sets.

Providing a deep stretch in the shoulders, the reverse prayer pose follows a movement pattern similar to that of praying. This pose is performed by bringing the arms together behind the back.

It is easy to perform and can be a highly effective addition to your shoulder mobility routine.

How To Do It:

• Choose from standing, seating, or a tree pose to begin.
• Take both of your hands behind your back, facing each other.
• Touch the palms together in a way that your fingers face down.
• After that, flip your hands in the other direction to make it look like a praying position.
• Now draw your elbow slightly back and open your chest.
• Keep your spine straight and hold the position for 30 seconds.
• Slowly get out of the stretch and repeat as many times as you want.

Cow face is another yoga pose that can be used to bring back flexibility in the shoulders. It is a convenient stretch for this body part that helps reduce tightness and stiffness in the muscles around the shoulder blades.

How To Do It:

• Come to a seated position on your mat with your legs in front of you in a staff pose.
• Bend your knees and bring the left foot to the outside of the right hip.
• Stack your right knee on the top of your left leg, positioning your legs away from your hips at an equal distance.
• Maintaining a straight back, extend your right arm towards the sky, and bend your right elbow to rest the palm on top of your back.
• Bend your left elbow and reach the fingers of your right arm through the lower back.
• It is not necessary to touch the fingers. Just hold the arms where they are until your shoulder blades are opened.
• Hold the position for a minute while breathing deeply in and out through your nose.

Although the arms are one of the most used parts of our body, we often miss adding a lift movement. So to complete it, standing arm lifts are a simple exercise to add to your routine.

This easy-to-perform exercise can help tone your shoulders while making them injury-proof. However, it is important to not neglect this movement and stay consistent with it for effective results.

How To Do It:

• Straighten your hands in front of your hips and make a fist with your fingers.
• Take a deep breath and lift your arms overhead to bring them together above your head.
• In a controlled way, lower them back down to the starting position.
• Repeat for multiple reps to feel a stretch on the shoulders.

Shoulder stretching is more than just a way of relieving muscle tightness. It offers several other benefits to the body that most people are unaware of. In general, stretching a muscle extends its fibers and connects tissues to full capacity.

Due to this, the mobility of the muscle gradually increases which supports a lot during various activities. Moreover, the daily use of stretching exercises also helps to prevent injuries that might result from excessive or no use of shoulders throughout the day.

Although shoulder stretching is a main factor in reducing pain, plenty of other exercises are also important. While stretching prevents shoulders from becoming tight, yoga and weight training improve flexibility and eliminate stress and tension.

Shoulder massages are another great way to reduce pain if the area is not improved through stretching. No matter which method you prefer the most, staying consistent is important for effective results.