TOC Fit Tips: Shoulder Stretches

4 Easy Stretches for your Shoulders

Whether you’re picking up grandbabies in a big bear hug or throwing the winning touchdown, everyone needs to be able to move their shoulders through their normal ranges.  You can improve your flexibility through range-of-motion (ROM) exercises. Stretch out your shoulders with these four basic movements.
 
ROM Flexion: Slide your arm up a wall, with your palm facing out as you lean toward the wall. Hold that for 10 seconds, and repeat it five times, twice a day. Alternate each arm.
 
ROM External Rotation: Keep the palm of your hand against a door frame with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Turn your body from the fixed hand until you start to feel a stretch. Hold ten seconds, repeat five times and do this twice a day. Alternate each arm.
 
ROM Towel Stretch: With interior rotation pull your arm up behind your back by pulling the towel up with your other arm. Hold for ten seconds, repeat five time and do this set twice a day. Alternate each arm.
 
Corner Stretch: Stand in the corner with your elbows at shoulder level, leaning forward to stretch across your chest. Hold for ten seconds, repeating five times for two sessions a day.
 
For more tips, visit AthletesGuide.VisitTOC.com, your online guide to Sports Medicine.

(This article originally appeared in TOC’s Winter 2018-19 Newsletter.)