3 Exercises for Shoulder Pain (That Actually Work)
If your shoulder hurts when you reach for something on a high shelf, when you're getting dressed, or putting dishes away—these 3 exercises will help.
I'm Wini Linguvic, a strength and conditioning coach with 44 years (oh my) of experience. I'm 60 years old with two hip replacements, and my focus is on sharing how useful and usable exercise can be in relieving pain, increasing mobility and building strength.
Watch the full video here, or keep reading for step-by-step instructions:
.Exercise 1: Shoulder Circles
This is the first exercise for decreasing shoulder pain and increasing shoulder mobility.
How to do it:
Place one hand on your hip
Place your other hand on your shoulder
Make small circles with your elbow—imagine you have a pencil on your elbow and you're drawing perfect circles on the wall
Go one direction, then reverse
Important: Start small. You might not be able to make big circles at first—and that's completely normal.
Over time, as you work consistently, you'll be able to increase your range of motion. Keep the rest of your body still and focus on the movement quality, not the size.
Goal: Work up to 8 circles in each direction on both sides.
Exercise 2: Palm Rotations
This exercise targets shoulder mobility in a different plane of movement.
How to do it:
One hand on your hip
Other arm extended out to the side
Turn your palm down
Work toward getting your wrist onto your lower back
Return to start position
Turn your palm up
If this is too much: Just do part one—turning your palm up and down without reaching for your back.
That's the beauty of these shoulder exercises: you can modify them to match where your body is TODAY, not where you think it should be.
Over time, if you stay consistent, you should be able to get a little bit more range of motion.
Goal: Work up to 8 repetitions on each side.
Starting out: Just do 2-3 reps and check your range. The way we get stronger and more mobile and reduce pain is by making these exercises useful and usable for us.
Exercise 3: Wall Stretch for Shoulders and Chest
This is my favorite shoulder stretch.
How to do it:
Place your hand flat on the wall
Flip your fingers back so your fingertips are facing behind you
Micro-bend your elbow
Step away from the wall
Turn away slightly until you feel a beautiful stretch in your chest and shoulders
The key: YOU control the intensity.
If it doesn't feel fabulous, turn back toward the wall. If you want more of a stretch, turn further away or push your hand into the wall.
Hold for 15 seconds, then switch sides.
How to Make These Shoulder Exercises Work for You
Everything needs to be adaptable and adjustable so it works for YOUR body.
Maybe you do one of these exercises. Maybe you do two. Maybe you do all three.
The point is: you're doing something that works for YOUR shoulder, not following some generic plan that wasn't made for you.
Remember:
Start with just a couple reps (2-3) and check your range
Over time, with consistent practice, your range of motion will increase
If something is too much, you do less
If you want more, you do more
Exercise works when you make it work for you.
Pick One Exercise and Try It Daily (or Dailyish) for a Week
Don't try to be perfect. Just pick ONE of these shoulder exercises and try it daily—or dailyish—for a week.
See what changes. Pay attention to how your shoulder feels.
Then come back and let me know which exercise you worked with and how it felt.
Strength and Stability Classes
These 3 shoulder exercises are a great start—but what about the rest of your body?
Your body needs smart strength and mobility training and our classes offer you exactly that- guided workouts that are adaptable and adjustable so your workout can be safe and effective.
Get my free 30-minute strength class here:
winilinguvic.com/free-strength-training-class
You'll get a complete workout with clear instruction, modifications for real bodies, and a plan you can actually follow.
Not a content dump. Not random classes. A clear plan.
Remember: exercise works when you know how to work it.
