Stiff shoulders: Quick exercises that offer relief
From bad posture to stress, our shoulders can experience stiffness owing to multiple reasons, disrupting our daily activities with pain and rigidity. Fret not, you can easily get rid of this condition by trying out a few simple and quick exercises. These exercises can be performed at home or in the office with little to no equipment required.
Pendulum stretch
Stand, lean forward and look at the ground. Now place your right hand on a chair and the left arm hanging down. Swing the left arm slowly in a circular motion, allowing gravity to guide the movement. After doing this for 30 seconds, change the motion's direction and repeat for another 30 seconds. Follow the same steps for the right arm.
Cross-body shoulder stretch
Stand comfortably and stretch your right arm straight forward. Now bring it toward the left shoulder and hook it with your left arm, such that the right arm's elbow is grabbed by the left forearm. Push the left forearm onto the right arm so that you feel a stretch in your right shoulder. Repeat the same steps for the left shoulder.
Child's pose
Child's pose, or Balasana in yoga, is very effective for shoulders. Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels. Bend forward until your thighs and chest are in contact. As you do that, extend your arms forward as much as possible and feel a stretch in your shoulders. Hold this position for a few minutes and repeat this multiple times a day.
Shoulder rolls
Stand straight and let your shoulders loose. Now roll your shoulders up, then back, and then finally forward, making a circular motion in a clockwise direction. Keep the motion slow and make at least 10 such rounds to soften and smoothen the rigid muscles around your shoulders. Then, do it in an anticlockwise direction. You can safely repeat this exercise multiple times.
Standing wall stretch
Stand facing a wall, extend arms at shoulder height, and place palms on the wall. Step back, maintaining a straight body. Gently lean forward, feeling the stretch in your chest and shoulders. Hold for 20-30 seconds and release. This stretch improves shoulder flexibility and eases tension in the shoulder blades and surrounding areas. Avoid pushing the wall or raising your arms excessively high.
