Five main pairs of movements can be distinguished in the shoulder joint: flexion and extension of the arm in the shoulder joint, abduction and adduction of the arm, lifting and lowering shoulder joint, mixing and dilution of the shoulder joints, rotation of the arm out and in. The shoulder joint is formed by the head of the humerus and the glenoid cavity of the scapula. The main task of the upper back and chest muscles is to provide a secure connection of the scapula and collarbone both with each other and with the spine and chest, thereby creating a stable support for the movements of the arms and shoulders.

Of the five pairs of movements mentioned here, lifting and lowering, advancing and retracting the shoulder joints are usually referred to as stabilization actions. Most of the muscles involved in the movement and stabilization of the shoulder are located on the back side. The posterior muscle group includes the infraspinatus, supraspinatus and subscapularis, teres major and minor, levator scapulae, deltoid and triceps muscles of the shoulder, subclavian, latissimus dorsi, trapezius and rhomboids. The anterior muscle group includes the pectoralis major and minor muscles, the anterior serratus muscle, deltoid muscle, biceps (biceps) and coracobrachial muscles.

Muscle cramps and pain in the neck (middle and superior trapezius), shoulders (trapezius, deltoid, and supraspinatus), upper back (rhomboids and levator scapulae), and chest, oddly enough, are usually the result of muscle stiffness of antagonists. In other words, tight upper chest muscles cause upper back pain. Tension in the muscles of the chest (for example, the pectoralis major muscle) causes a constant slight stretching of the muscles of the upper back. To prevent this, it is best to work out the front bundles of the muscles of the chest and shoulders. In this regard, before training a certain muscle group and immediately after it, it is recommended to stretch the antagonist muscles. By doing this at least three times a week, you will increase muscle elasticity and build strength.

Many of the exercises listed here involve stretching one half of the body (left or right). The same movements must be performed for the other half of the body.

Performance

Stand in the doorway. Place your feet shoulder-width apart so that one is slightly in front of the other. Raise your straightened arms to shoulder level and place your palms on the wall on either side of the doorway. The thumbs are facing up. Lean forward with your whole body.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: big pectoral muscle, front beam deltoid muscle, coracobrachial muscle, biceps.

Less: infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, subclavian, lower trapezius.

The elbow joint must be turned off. The back is straight. The more you lean forward, the better the stretch will be. The degree of lean depends on how far the leg is extended forward, so the distance between the legs should be such that you can maintain balance. At the same time, you can perform an exercise to stretch the muscles that extend the neck. However, in this case, it will have a slightly lower effectiveness, since the hands do not lie on the back of the head.

Stretching the muscles that flex the arm at the shoulder joint and lower the shoulder joint

OPTION

Stretching the muscles that flex the arm at the shoulder joint and lower the shoulder joint

When you raise your arms above shoulder level, additional muscles are included in the work.

Performance

Stand in the doorway. Place your feet shoulder-width apart so that one is slightly in front of the other. Raise your straightened arms above head level and place your palms on the wall on either side of the doorway. The thumbs are facing up. Lean forward with your whole body.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, coracobrachialis, biceps, pectoralis minor.

Less: latissimus dorsi, lower trapezius muscle, subclavian muscle.

Stretching the muscles that adduct the arm, extend the arm at the shoulder joint and spread the shoulder joints

Performance

Stand in the doorway with your right shoulder against the right jamb. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other. Grasp the right joint with your left hand at shoulder level; thumb pointing down.Rotate your torso to the right until you feel a stretch in the back of your left shoulder.

Worked muscles

AT to a greater extent: posterior and middle bundles of the left deltoid muscle, left latissimus dorsi, left triceps, middle bundle of the left trapezius muscle, left rhomboid muscles.

AT lesser degree: left teres major and minor, left supraspinatus, left serratus anterior.

The elbow joint must be turned off. Over time, as the muscles become more elastic, you will need to hold on to the joint below shoulder level to disengage the joint. Higher hand position does not reduce value this exercise, however, as it rises, the degree of stretch of the rhomboid muscles decreases, and the anterior serratus muscle increases.

Stretching the muscles that adduct the arm, reduce and lift the shoulder joints

Performance

Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart. Bring the left hand as far as possible to the right thigh. Grasp the elbow of the left hand with the right hand. Pull it down and to the right.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: posterior bundle of the left deltoid muscle, left latissimus dorsi, left triceps, lower and middle bundles of the left trapezius muscle.

Less: left teres major and minor, left supraspinatus, left levator scapulae, left rhomboids.

Don't lift your shoulders. The spine should maintain a natural curve.

Stretching the muscles that adduct the arm, raise and reduce the shoulder joints

OPTION

If you raise your arm, then the muscles that lift and reduce the shoulder joints will be stretched to a greater extent.

Performance

Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart. Raise your left hand and press it to your head. Grab your left elbow with your right hand and pull it over your head.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: posterior fascicular deltoid muscle, left latissimus dorsi, left triceps, lower bundle of left trapezius muscle, left serratus anterior muscle.

Less: left teres major and minor, left supraspinatus and rhomboids, left pectoralis minor.

Stretching the muscles that flex the arm at the shoulder joint

Performance

Stand up straight (or sit in a backless chair). Take your left hand behind your back and bend it at the elbow at an angle of 90 degrees. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other. Grab the elbow of your left hand with your right hand. Pull it to the right and up.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: left pectoralis major muscle, anterior and middle bundles of the left deltoid muscle.

Less: left levator scapula, left pectoralis minor, left serratus anterior, left supraspinatus, and left coracobrachial muscles.

If you can't reach your elbow, grab your forearm. It is easier to pull the arm in a horizontal direction, but the greatest effect can be achieved if you also pull it up. The elbow joint should be rigidly fixed at an angle of 90 degrees. Changing the position of the back also affects the degree of stretching. If you can't keep your back straight, lean forward a little. Be careful: in this position it is easy to lose balance.

Performance

Get into a semi-squat position in front of the doorway with your right shoulder against your left jamb. Grasp the left joint with your right hand at shoulder height.Keeping your arm in a straight position and keeping your feet on the floor, sit down deeper, lowering your pelvis down.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: posterior right deltoid, right middle trapezius, right triceps, right teres major, right rhomboids, right infraspinatus.

Less: right latissimus dorsi, right teres minor, right gluteus, right serratus anterior.

from the floor, squat deeper, lowering the pelvis down .

The deeper the squat, the stronger the stretch, but try not to squat so much that you feel pain in your legs. To reduce stress, change where you grip the joint. But in this case, the muscle groups undergoing stretching will also change. Regardless of the level at which you hold on to the joint, the spine should maintain a natural curve. To achieve better stretch, you can turn your torso to the left.

Stretching the muscles that adduct the arm and extend the arm at the shoulder joint

OPTION

Changing the position of the hand on the jamb also changes the muscle groups being worked out.

Performance

Get into a semi-squat position in front of the doorway with your right shoulder against your left jamb. Grab the left joint with your right hand above head level. Keeping your arm in a straight position and keeping your feet on the floor, sit down deeper, lowering your pelvis down.

Worked muscles

AT to a greater extent: right posterior deltoid, right latissimus dorsi, right triceps, right teres major, right infraspinatus.

Less: right small round muscle, right supraspinatus muscle, middle bundle of the right trapezius muscle.

Stretching the muscles that flex the arm at the shoulder joint, lowering and spreading the shoulder joints, in a sitting position

Performance

Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Place your palms of straightened arms (fingers pointing back) on the floor at a distance of 30 cm from the pelvis. Without bending your arms, lean back.

Worked muscles

To a greater extent: pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, coracobrachialis, pectoralis minor.

Less: latissimus dorsi, lower bundle of the trapezius muscle, subclavian muscle, rhomboid muscles.

Keep your arms straight during the exercise. If you are having difficulty, move your hands closer to your pelvis. The further the emphasis of the hands, the stronger the stretch. To keep your body still, you may need to place your feet on a wall. It is better to sit on the rug, resting your hands on a hard surface.

Anatomy of stretching exercises / A. Nelson, J. Kokkonen2007

There are many stretching exercises for the arms that can relieve tension and increase flexibility. Most of the sitting and standing exercises can be done anywhere.

Tension in the upper body, which many people suffer from, is associated with constant stress in Everyday life. Upper body stiffness is a common problem for many athletes who do not pay enough attention to stretching this area.

Hand Exercises #1

In a kneeling position, bend over and reach the floor with outstretched arms, and then, slightly pressing your palms to the floor, lean back. This stretch can be done with one or both hands together. The one-arm option allows you to more effectively control the amount of load and train each side of the body separately. You should feel a stretch in your shoulders, arms, latissimus dorsi back or sides of the torso, upper back and even lower back. When doing the exercise for the first time, you may only feel the stretch in your shoulders and arms, but as you get comfortable with the movement, you will learn to stretch other areas of the body; by slightly moving the pelvis to the right or left, you can increase or decrease the stretch. Don't stress. Relax. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds.

Exercise for the forearms and wrists number 2

Rest on the floor with your knees and palms. The toes should point outward and the fingers should point towards the knees. Keeping your palms on the floor, lean back to stretch the front of your forearms. Hold a light stretch for 10-20 seconds. Relax and then stretch again. You may be surprised how tense your muscles are in this area.

As you stretch your upper body, bend your knees slightly.

Stretching your arms above your head and joining your palms together, as shown in the figure, stretch your arms up and slightly back. Breathe in while stretching. Hold the stretch for 5-8 seconds without holding your breath. This is a great muscle exercise. outside arms, shoulders and chest. It can be done anytime, anywhere to release tension, feel relaxed, and feel great.

Remember: while exercising, breathe deeply and relax the lower jaw.

To stretch the shoulder and midsection shoulder girdle, gently pull your elbow to the opposite shoulder. Hold 10 seconds.

Hand Exercises #3

Stretching according to the PNS method: contraction - relaxation - stretching.

Take a standing position, legs slightly bent at the knees. Take hold of the left hand outer surface right hand just above the elbow. Take your right hand to the side, overcoming the resistance of your left hand. Hold your hand in a state of static contraction for 3-4 seconds (Fig. 1). After a moment of relaxation, gently pull your right hand to your left shoulder until you feel a pleasant stretch in the outer part of the shoulder and the right half of the shoulder girdle (Fig. 2). Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat the exercise for the other hand.

I offer you the simplest stretch for triceps and upper shoulders. Raising your arms above your head, grasp the elbow with one hand with the other. Gently pull your elbow behind your head, creating a slight stretch. Perform the movement slowly. Hold for 15 seconds. Don't hold your breath.

Stretch both sides. Do you feel the difference in their mobility? it good way development of flexibility in the shoulders and arms. This stretch can be done while walking.

Hand Exercises #4

Stretching according to the PNS method: contraction - relaxation - stretching.

Take a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bent at the knees. Grab your right elbow with your left hand. Try to take your right elbow down, overcoming the resistance of your left hand. Hold the static contraction of the arm for 3-4 seconds (Fig. 1). After a moment of relaxation, gently pull your elbow behind your head until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your shoulder, in much the same way as in the previous exercise (Fig. 2). Hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat for the other hand.

Take a standing position with your knees slightly bent. Bend your right arm at the elbow and place it behind your head. Grab your right elbow with your left hand. To stretch your armpit and shoulder muscles, tilt your head back toward your right forearm until you feel a pleasant stretch. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Do the exercise for both sides.

Hand exercise option

Take a standing position, legs slightly bent at the knees (2-3 cm). Gently pull your elbow behind your head while leaning to the side. Hold a light stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat for the other side. To maintain balance, the legs should be slightly bent at the knees. Don't hold your breath.

Hand Exercises #5

Another shoulder exercise

Bring your left hand behind your head as far as possible and, if possible, reach for the fingers of your right hand, wound behind your back from below, palm outward. Interlock your fingers and hold the position for 5-10 seconds. If you are unable to clasp your hands, try one of the following options.
Have someone help you pull your arms towards each other until you feel a slight stretch and hold them in that position. Don't stretch too hard. Quite sufficient stretching can be achieved without joining hands. Stretch according to your ability.

Try throwing a towel clasped in one hand behind your back. Grab the towel from below with your other hand. Gradually grab the towel higher and higher, pulling the hand wound behind the head down. Do this exercise every day, stretching more and more. Over time, you will be able to perform this stretch without assistance. Exercise reduces tension and develops flexibility. In addition, it helps to get rid of fatigue.

Close your fingers in the castle in front of you at shoulder level. Turn your palms outward while extending your arms forward to feel the stretch in your mid-shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, and wrists. Hold a light stretch for 15 seconds, then relax and repeat the exercise.

Hand Exercises #6

One shoulder shrug

Start the exercise with relaxed shoulders down. Lift your left shoulder up towards your left earlobe. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Relax your shoulder and lower it down, then repeat the movement with the other shoulder. This stretch is great for relieving tension in the shoulders.

Hand Exercises #7

Shrug

Raise your shoulders towards your ears until you feel a slight tension in your neck and shoulders. Hold 5 seconds. Then relax your shoulders and lower them down.

Say to yourself: "Shoulders up, shoulders down."

Now gently lower your right shoulder down and at the same time tilt your head towards your left shoulder. Hold a pleasant stretch for 5 seconds, then repeat the same with the left shoulder. Close your fingers in a lock over your head and, turning your palms up, stretch your arms up and take them slightly back. Feel the stretch in your arms, shoulders and shoulder girdle. Hold for 15 seconds. Don't hold your breath. This stretch can be done anywhere, anytime. It relaxes the shoulders wonderfully.

Breathe deeply. Stand with your knees slightly bent and place the palms of your hands, fingers down, on your lower back just above your hips. Gently push your lower back forward to create a stretch in that part of your body. Hold 10 seconds. Repeat the movement twice. Use this stretch after sitting still for a long time. Don't hold your breath

To stretch the side of the neck, tilt your head towards your left shoulder and at the same time pull your right arm down and to the left behind your back with your left hand. Hold a light stretch for 10-15 seconds. Repeat for the other side.

Stand in the doorway and rest both hands on the jambs at shoulder level. Promote upper part torso forward until you feel a pleasant stretch in your arms and chest. While exercising, keep chest and head upright, and bend your legs slightly at the knees. Hold for 10-15 seconds.

The following exercises are performed with the fingers interlocked behind the back.

The first stretch is done by slowly turning the elbows inward. In this way, you stretch your shoulders, arms and chest. Hold for 10-15 seconds. If you find this exercise too easy, raise your arms behind your back until you feel a stretch in your arms, shoulders, or chest. Hold a light stretch for 5-10 seconds. Such training is very useful for people prone to stoop. The chest should be pushed forward as far as possible, and the chin should be pulled back. It is performed at any convenient time.

SCHEME OF EXERCISES FOR STRETCHING THE BACK, SHOULDERS AND ARMS

Exercises can be performed in the order indicated, as a single complex.

Understretching is always better than overstretching. Each time try to leave some reserve of painless movement, without trying to reach the limit of your capabilities. At the same time, it is advisable to perform hand exercises as often as possible.

Properly selected exercises for the shoulder joint will help not only strengthen it, but also avoid joint disease, and in some cases even cure them.

Only correctly recommended gymnastics can optimally influence the functions of the shoulder joint. Therefore, the choice of exercises for diseases of the shoulder should be taken in good faith, and in the case of prevention and strengthening of the shoulder joint, you can use the proposed exercises as basic ones, gradually increasing the load on the shoulder and constantly listening to your body.

12 effective exercises for the shoulder joint

EXERCISE 1

Take the starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, hands clenched into fists and placed on the belt. We open the brush with the palm up and raise the arm in front of the chest, completely straightening it above the head, then squat slightly. We perform the same movement with the left hand. Run up to 20 times in each direction.

EXERCISE 2

Take the starting position: standing, hands on the belt, legs slightly apart. With tension we raise both hands above the head, leading them along the chest. We turn the palms up, while the fingers are directed towards each other. We squat slightly, achieving a feeling of stretching in the area of ​​​​the shoulder girdle.

Holding your arms above your head, tilt your head back and look at the back of the hands. We stay in this position for a while and then return to the starting position.

EXERCISE 3

Take the starting position: we stand facing the wall at a distance of one step from it. We touch the wall with the fingers of the hand and, like the tentacles of a scorpion, we sort through them, moving as high as possible. Having reached the highest point, we linger in the pose for one to two minutes, then move our fingers down. We do several repetitions in each approach.

EXERCISE 4

Take the starting position: standing, legs slightly apart, fingers clasped behind the head at the base of the skull. Slowly, tensing the muscles, we stretch the shoulders forward so that the elbows touch each other, then we spread the elbows to the sides. We repeat several times.

EXERCISE 5

Take the starting position: standing, fists on the belt and turned up. We turn the hands with the palms inward and slowly spread our arms to the sides, while turning the palms back. We return to the starting position. We repeat the exercise 20 times.

With effort we raise our fists along to the level of the chest. Then open your palms and slowly, with tension, stretch your arms forward.

EXERCISE 6

Take the starting position: standing, legs slightly apart, hands on the belt, thumbs behind, others in front. Slowly raise both arms along the body to the level of the chest, pause and move the shoulders back and forth. We raise our arms to the armpits and perform the same movements with our shoulders. Perform the exercise 20-30 times.

EXERCISE 7

Take the starting position: standing, legs slightly apart, hands at waist level, hands clenched into fists and turned palmar surfaces up. We bring the left hand to the chest, open the palm, push the hand forward, then pull it back. We repeat several times.

EXERCISE 8

Take the starting position: standing, legs slightly wider than shoulders, arms freely lowered along the body. Attention: The lifting is performed due to the effort in the shoulders, and when pushing up, the effort comes from the hands.

We turn our palms up and raise our hands to shoulder level, as if holding a basket in them. At the same time, we slightly bend our knees and stand in the “rider” position. Then we turn our palms down and slowly, as if experiencing reverse resistance, lower our hands along the chest. At the same time, slowly straighten up, returning to the starting position. In each approach, we do several repetitions.

EXERCISE 9

Take the starting position: squat slightly and spread your legs shoulder-width apart. We squeeze the hands into fists and elbows so that the forearms are in vertical position. We perform several rotations in the shoulder joint, describing semicircles alternately with the right and left forearms. Perform 10 rotations in each direction.

EXERCISE 10

Take the starting position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms freely lowered along the body. Bending your elbows, raise your arms and place your fingertips on your shoulders. We perform rotation of the shoulders forward. Then we shrug our shoulders and rotate them in the opposite direction. We perform 10 rotations in each direction.

EXERCISE 11

Take the starting position: standing, legs together. We squeeze the brushes into fists and hold them at the waist. Slightly unbending the fingers, we make an empty fist, take the right hand to the side and make it three circles back and three circles forward. We repeat with the left hand.

EXERCISE 12

Take the starting position: we stand freely. Attention! During the execution of the movements, the palms should be turned up at all times.

Leaving aside left leg one step to the side, lunge with the body forward. We bend the brushes in the form of hooks and turn them palms up. We pull the palms to the armpits.

One of essential elements Every athlete's workout is to stretch the muscles of the shoulders. Today we present to your attention a set of exercises for stretching the arms and shoulders, which will not only help you develop the flexibility of the muscles of the upper body, but also relieve fatigue and overexertion.

Before you get acquainted with a set of exercises for stretching the shoulder girdle, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the basic rules for stretching the muscles of the shoulders:

• Be sure to warm up your muscles before starting a workout. A 3-4 km run is perfect for warming up;
• You need to stretch slowly and gradually, without jerking, increase the amplitude with each movement. Remember that you should not feel pain while stretching;
• Be sure to watch your breath. It should be deep and slow. Exit must be done when making a slope;
• Hold in the maximum position for at least 10 seconds;
• Concentrate while stretching, think about the part of the body that you are stretching;
• You should not feel any tension while holding the stretched position;
• Stretching exercises should be done regularly.

Arm stretching exercises.

Stretching the muscles of the arms, as well as stretching the upper body, is very useful for improving posture, increasing blood circulation and preventing stiffness. After all, a person looks very stooped if his muscles of the shoulder girdle are weak. We present you a set of exercises for stretching the muscles of the hands.

Exercise 1. Starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms raised palm to palm. Performing the exercise: stretch up, pointing your fingers also up. Hold at the maximum point, swaying back and forth.

Exercise 2. Starting position: stand up straight, arms raised above your head, with your right hand, grab the elbow of your left hand. Performing the exercise: exert a slight pressure with your right hand on your left and put your elbow behind your head. You should feel a slight stretch in the deltoid and triceps muscles. Repeat the same with the other hand.

Exercise 3. Starting position: kneel down. Performing the exercise: you need to lean forward and reach the floor with your hands. Then, pressing your palms to the floor, lean back. This shoulder and arm stretch also works great for your upper back.

Exercise 4. Starting position: stand up straight, bend your legs slightly at the knees. Performing the exercise: with your right hand, grasp the outer surface of your left hand just above the elbow. Take your left hand to the side, overcoming the resistance of your right hand. Hold your hand like this for 3-4 seconds, then relax for a couple of seconds. Now gently pull your left hand to your right shoulder until you feel a pleasant stretch in the outer part of the shoulder and the right half of the shoulder girdle. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat the exercise for the other hand.

Exercise 5. Starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms raised up. Performing the exercise: join your hands so that your thumbs look forward, and stretch up, arching your back a little back.

Shoulder stretching exercises.

We recommend that you stretch the shoulder muscles after a full strength training on the shoulder girdle. Follow the correct and accurate performance of all exercises for stretching the shoulder girdle. At the maximum point, it is necessary to linger for at least 10 seconds, gradually increasing this figure to 1 minute.

Exercise 1. Starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Performing the exercise: This is a popular "lock" upper body stretch. You need to bend both arms at the elbow, put one behind your back, and put the other behind your head. Your task is to join hands in a castle.

Exercise 2. Starting position: sit on the floor, lock your hands behind your back and lower to the floor. Performing the exercise: stretch forward with your legs so that the muscles of the shoulder joint are stretched.

Exercise 3: Starting position: stand up straight, bend one arm at the elbow and put it behind your back, the hand should be on the lower back. Performing the exercise: with the other hand, supporting the elbow, pull the first arm forward. In this case, you can turn the body in the other direction. Repeat the same with the other hand.

Exercise 4. Starting position: stand straight and bend your elbows, raising your hands to chest level perpendicular to the floor. Performing the exercise: put the left elbow on the front surface of the upper right arm near the elbow joint and move the left hand back to the left, and the right hand back to the right. Thus, the palms will be facing each other, and thumb of the left hand to connect with the little finger of the right hand. Hold this position for as long as possible and repeat the same with the other hand.

Exercise 5: Starting position: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Performing the exercise: put one hand behind your back, and with the other, fix the first hand on your elbow. Now try to get your hand behind your back as much as possible, putting pressure on it. Repeat the same with the other hand.

Stretching exercises for shoulders and arms: video.

Digital technologies, which greatly facilitate the life of a modern person, undoubtedly have a lot of advantages, but at the same time, technological progress has led to the fact that most of us have to spend almost the whole day in a sitting position, and not in the most comfortable position for the body. Only a few of us manage to maintain the correct posture while working at a computer or laptop, which, among other things, leads to pain in the neck, head, shoulders and discomfort throughout the body. This happens because overexertion of one muscle group entails a whole cascade of negative changes. Therefore, today our portal will tell you why it is so important to regularly perform shoulder stretching exercises and how to do it correctly.

Why Shoulder Stretching Is Necessary for Everyone

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body, which is why it is at a higher risk of injury and pain. Moreover, this joint is connected with the neck, ribs and shoulder blade.

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body, which is why it is at a higher risk of injury and pain.

For these reasons, shoulder stretching is necessary not only for people with sedentary work. Carrying a heavy bag or backpack, many people do not notice how much their body position changes. Thus, in order to avoid overstrain of the shoulder muscles and prevent the appearance of pain, it is necessary to regularly perform:

• warm-up before stretching the shoulders;
• shoulder stretching exercises.

How to warm up before stretching the shoulders

Before performing any exercises, including those aimed at stretching the shoulders, you must first warm up the muscles - this will help minimize the risk of injury.

To do this, you need to perform one of the following simple steps:

• stretch your arms in front of you and take them back and to the sides so that the body resembles the letter T;
• take a warm shower;
• run on the spot for several minutes;
• perform jumps "legs together, legs apart."

Before performing any exercises, including those aimed at stretching the shoulders, you must first warm up the muscles.

After warming up, you can begin to perform simple exercises to stretch your shoulders.

Shoulder stretching exercises: how to relax muscles and relieve discomfort

In principle, a good way to stretch your shoulders is to stay in the correct sitting position: just sit up straight with your back straight and pull your shoulders back a little. Such actions can and should be performed at least every half hour at the workplace. The following exercises will help straighten your shoulders:

1. Circular movements

Stand up straight and begin to make circular movements with your shoulders, gradually moving them up, down, forward and back. Or, while standing, start drawing circles with your hands, as shown in the picture below. Complete 10 circular motions, directing hands forward, and 10 - back.

Sit up straight with your back straight and your shoulders slightly back. Such actions can and should be performed at least every half hour at the workplace.

1. neck stretch

Very often, muscle overstrain is observed precisely in the area that is being worked on during this exercise:

• touch the right shoulder with the right ear;
• put your right hand on your left temple and, applying light pressure, gently tilt your head to the right;
• stay in the final position for 30 seconds.

Repeat steps for the other side of the body.

1. "Thread in a Needle"

This exercise for stretching the shoulders is more suitable for doing at home and is particularly effective. It is performed as follows:

• get on all fours and lift your left hand off the floor;
• slide your left hand through the space between your right foot and arm so that left hand touched the right;
• Turn your upper body slightly to the right, but keep your hips level.

1. Stretching the chest muscles

The muscles of the chest and shoulders are interconnected, therefore, if there is an overstrain in one area, negative changes can also affect the neighboring one. To stretch your chest muscles you will need:

• stand near the doorway;
• raise your hand and keep it parallel to the floor;
• grab the door frame and lean forward;
• thus, your hand will be behind the shoulder;
• hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat with the other hand.

This exercise allows you to stretch the muscles of the chest, upper arm and deltoid muscles.

1. Rhomboid muscle stretch

Rhomboid muscles, located in the upper back, extend from the shoulder blades to the spine. To stretch them you will need:

• find a pole or column to grab onto;
• relax your shoulders and begin to take your body back, straightening your arms;
• linger for 20 seconds at the end point and repeat the exercise on the other side.

1. "Scratch your back"

This shoulder stretch requires a certain level of flexibility, so don't be discouraged if you can't do the following the first few times:

• take a small towel or T-shirt;
• bend one arm over your head, lowering the towel on your back;
• bend the other hand behind your back and grab the free end of the towel;
• move the towel up and down as if trying to scratch their back;
• perform 3-5 times, and then change hands.