Shoulder Pain Exercises That Relieve Symptoms
There are a plethora of reasons why many individuals experience shoulder pain. Some of these reasons include excessive shoulder migration due to sitting down all day and staring at computer screens, weak upper back, and poorly performing certain exercises in the gym. Nonetheless, the key to relieving pain symptoms in the shoulders is to train the upper back and trap muscles in order to develop more strength and balance. This will ultimately cause the shoulders to be carrying excessive amounts of weight.
Seated Horizontal Rows
This exercise helps strengthen these back muscles. By strengthening these particular muscles as well as the trap muscles, individuals begin to undue serious shoulder migration. However, when performing this exercise, individuals should employ a neutral or supinated grip. Using a pronated grip turns the shoulders inwards and can make shoulder pain and migration worse.
Chin Ups
This too, is another exercise that strengthens the shoulder area, biceps, triceps and core. For this exercise to be done correctly, individuals must pull their body weight up using their upper back muscles, biceps and stabilize their core in the process. Again, utilizing a neutral or supinated grip minimizes shoulder muscle recruitment, thus decreasing shoulder migration.
Reverse Flys
This exercise can be done on a fly machine that is usually used in order to strengthen the pectoral or chest muscles. However, many machines allow for individuals to sit in the opposite direction, and perform reverse flys to strengthen the traps, upper back muscles and most importantly the posterior deltoid muscles. Often times, there is a strength imbalance between the posterior and anterior deltoid (shoulder) muscles, leading to pain in that area.
Seated Vertical Pull Downs/Lat Pull Downs
If chin ups are too difficult to be performed, this is a great alternative.
This exercise is often performed in order to strengthen the latissimus dorsi muscles, biceps and traps. However, it is common for individuals to use a wide pronated grip to perform this movement. Individuals with shoulder pain should again use either supinated or neutral grips to avoid directly training the front shoulders and exclusively focus on training the back, traps and back of the shoulders.
These are some major corrective exercises that can be done immediately. Avoid bench presses, shoulder presses and other movements that load weight directly onto the shoulders. It is very common for individuals to have rotator cuff problems due to excessive or heavy bench press movements.
Seated Horizontal Rows
This exercise helps strengthen these back muscles. By strengthening these particular muscles as well as the trap muscles, individuals begin to undue serious shoulder migration. However, when performing this exercise, individuals should employ a neutral or supinated grip. Using a pronated grip turns the shoulders inwards and can make shoulder pain and migration worse.
Chin Ups
This too, is another exercise that strengthens the shoulder area, biceps, triceps and core. For this exercise to be done correctly, individuals must pull their body weight up using their upper back muscles, biceps and stabilize their core in the process. Again, utilizing a neutral or supinated grip minimizes shoulder muscle recruitment, thus decreasing shoulder migration.
Reverse Flys
This exercise can be done on a fly machine that is usually used in order to strengthen the pectoral or chest muscles. However, many machines allow for individuals to sit in the opposite direction, and perform reverse flys to strengthen the traps, upper back muscles and most importantly the posterior deltoid muscles. Often times, there is a strength imbalance between the posterior and anterior deltoid (shoulder) muscles, leading to pain in that area.
Seated Vertical Pull Downs/Lat Pull Downs
If chin ups are too difficult to be performed, this is a great alternative.
This exercise is often performed in order to strengthen the latissimus dorsi muscles, biceps and traps. However, it is common for individuals to use a wide pronated grip to perform this movement. Individuals with shoulder pain should again use either supinated or neutral grips to avoid directly training the front shoulders and exclusively focus on training the back, traps and back of the shoulders.
These are some major corrective exercises that can be done immediately. Avoid bench presses, shoulder presses and other movements that load weight directly onto the shoulders. It is very common for individuals to have rotator cuff problems due to excessive or heavy bench press movements.
