How to Use Yoga for Shoulder Pain

Co-authored by Joel Giffin, PT, DPT, CHT

Last Updated: March 12, 2023 References

If you’re suffering from pain and tightness in your shoulders, then you’re not alone at all. Most people don’t realize how much stress and tension they hold in their shoulders, and you’re probably tensing up without even realizing it. Luckily, you don’t have to live with this pain forever. Some simple stretching exercises can do wonders for your body. Try a few yoga poses to work out that tension and make shoulder pain a thing of the past!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Warm-Up Stretches

1
Release your tension with a corpse pose. This move might sound easy, but you’d be surprised how much tension your can get rid of by just staying still and relaxing. Lay flat on your back with your hands at your sides and your palms facing up. Space your feet out a little bit. Then just focus on relaxing and releasing tension in your muscles. Hold the pose for 3-5 minutes for full relaxation.^{[1]
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- Try to focus on your breathing and clearing your mind. This position is also great to meditate in if you want to try that too.
- You can use a corpse pose to relax at any point during the day, or to wind down after a workout.
2
Loosen your neck by pulling your ears to your shoulders. Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Then tilt your head to the left, trying to touch your ear to your left shoulder. This stretches out your right shoulder. Reach up with your left hand and gently push your head down a little more to really stretch out your neck and shoulders. Do the same to stretch the other side.^{[2]
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- Only push your head down until you feel a stretch. Don’t force yourself to go further than is comfortable for you.
- You could do this standing up, sitting on the floor with your legs crossed or straight, or in a normal chair. This is great, because it’s an easy stretch to do at work in your desk.
- This is also a good warm-up exercise to do before a full yoga session.
3
Open your shoulders with a cross-body stretch. This is a very common stretch that you’ve probably seen before. Stand or sit upright and reach your right arm straight across your chest to the left. Then bend your left elbow up over your right arm and press it against your chest to stretch out your upper back and shoulder. Hold the pose for 3 breaths, then switch sides to stretch your left shoulder.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Joel Giffin, PT, DPT, CHT
Physical Therapist

Expert Interview. 26 October 2020.}^{[4]
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- Keep the arm that you’re stretching straight through the whole exercise. Otherwise, you won’t feel much of a stretch in your shoulder.
- This is also very easy to do while sitting at a desk, so you don’t have to do a full yoga session.
4
Stretch your shoulders by reaching above your head. Sit in a comfortable upright position on the floor or a chair and place your hands at your sides. Bend your elbows up, then reach both arms straight up above your head. When you’ve reached as high as you can, press your palms together above your head to make a pyramid shape. Hold it for a few seconds, then release and bring your arms back down gently.^{[5]
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- For a deeper stretch, bend your elbows back behind your head with your palms pressed together. Keep your upper arms pointing straight up to stretch out your triceps and chest too.^{[6]
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  Joel Giffin, PT, DPT, CHT
  Physical Therapist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 October 2020.}
- Really try to stretch out your back during this exercise. Imagine your spine opening as you reach up.
- This works well with the previous exercise. You could roll your shoulders back and then raise your arms.
- You can also do this exercise while you’re standing if you prefer. Just make sure you have enough room and won’t hit the ceiling.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Simple Yoga Poses

1
Roll your shoulders back to loosen up. Sit on the floor in a comfortable cross-legged position. Turn your palms toward the floor and rest them on your knees with your arms straight. Then roll your shoulders up and back, trying to pinch your shoulder blades together. At the same time, raise your head and look up to stretch your neck. Hold this for a few seconds, then release and repeat it a few times to loosen your neck and shoulders.^{[7]
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- You could also do this sitting in a chair or standing if you want to.
- Exhale as you roll your shoulders back to relax your body and muscles more.
2
Do a standing forward bend to open up your shoulders. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart and place your palms on your buttocks. Exhale and hinge forward, trying to press your chest against your thighs. Bend from your hips to keep your back straight. Slide your hands down your legs and try to grab your ankles. Hold this position for a few breaths, then inhale and raise your chest halfway back up and hold. Raise and lower yourself like this 4 times to open up your spine and shoulders.^{[8]
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- You might not be able to bend all the way down when you’re just starting. That’s fine, and you’ll still get a good stretch.
3
Try the cat and cow poses to warm up your neck. This is a great stretch for your back, neck, and shoulders. Start on the floor in a tabletop position, resting on your hands and knees. Raise your hips to round the top of your back and tuck your chin for a cat pose. Then push your hips down and arch your back for a cow pose. Switch between these two positions smoothly to work out your back and shoulders.^{[9]
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- Try to alternate positions on your inhales and exhales. Inhale when rising into the cat pose and exhale when pushing into the cow pose.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Strengthening Exercises

1
Roll your back and shoulders with a thunderbolt pose. Kneel on the floor with your thighs stretched in front of you. Reach your arms straight above your head. Exhale and bend forward towards your thighs, sweeping your arms down and behind your back at the same time.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Joel Giffin, PT, DPT, CHT
Physical Therapist

Expert Interview. 26 October 2020.} Bring your hands to rest on your lower back and press your chest against your thighs for a few breaths. Then inhale and raise yourself back up. Repeat this 6-8 times.^{[11]
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- If you can, bring your forehead all the way to the floor. If you’re not that flexible yet, don’t worry. Just go as far as you can.
- Try to roll your down by pulling from your core instead of just bending from your hips. Imagine that you’re sucking your stomach in to pull your back down.
2
Stretch your shoulders with a standing triangle pose. Stand straight upright with your feet spread wider than your shoulders and your arms outstretched, parallel with the ground. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees to the left. Then bend toward your left foot from your hips and try to grab your ankle. Keep your right arm straight while you stretch an reach further over your head with your right arm to stretch your side even more. Bring your right arm back to its original position on an inhale. Repeat this arm motion 4 times, then switch sides.^{[12]
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- Don’t worry if you can’t reach that far yet. You’ll get more flexible as you practice more.
3
Work your neck and shoulders with a sphinx pose. Lay flat on your stomach and place your palms down just above your shoulders. Then roll your head backward and look up while pushing yourself back with your arms. Keep your legs and hips flat so your back rounds out. Stop when you feel a good stretch. Hold the position for 1-2 minutes to stretch yourself out.^{[13]
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- You’ll be more comfortable if you do this move on a yoga mat, but it’s not crucial.
- Don’t try to push yourself further than you’re comfortable with. You don’t want to hurt your back.
4
Build shoulder strength with a warrior 2 pose. Lunge forward with your right leg and keep your left foot 3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m) behind. Point your right foot forward and angle your left foot to the side. Bend your right knee so it’s above your right foot and keep your left leg straight. Turn so both of your shoulders point to the left and outstretch both of your arms straight to the side with your palms facing down. Hold this pose for about a minute and then switch sides.^{[14]
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- Keep your shoulder blades pinched to focus more energy on your shoulders.
- This isn’t so much of a stretch as a strength-building exercise. Building up some strength in your shoulders can help get rid of pain and stiffness.
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I exercise without hurting my shoulder?

Kevin Stone, MD
Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr. Kevin Stone is an orthopaedic surgeon and the founder of The Stone Clinic, a leading orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine, and rehabilitation clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Stone specializes in knee, shoulder, and ankle repair, using biologic reconstruction and joint replacement. He holds a BS in Biology from Harvard University and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Stone completed his residency in Internal Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard University and in General Surgery at Stanford University. He then completed a fellowship in Orthopaedic Research and Surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Tahoe Orthopaedics. He lectures around the world as an expert in cartilage and meniscal growth, replacement, and repair and holds over 40 U.S. patents on novel inventions to improve healthcare. Dr. Stone is a physician for Smuin Ballet and has served as a physician for the U.S. Ski Team, the U.S. Pro Ski Tour, the United States Olympic Training Center, and World Pro Ski Tour.

Kevin Stone, MD

Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon

Expert Answer

For safety and wellness during exercising always prepare by warming up with stretches, if you live in a cold environment take a warm bath or show before stretching to decrease the chance of injury. In order to prevent injury towards your shoulder during exercising you should not get distracted with your cell phone or anything else, as people often get distracted and injure themselves due to a momentary lapse of focus.

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Tips

Always pay attention to your breathing while you’re doing yoga. Try to breathe in and out smoothly to help your muscles relax.

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Try to stop every so often throughout the day and see if your shoulders are tensing. This is a common cause for shoulder pain. Remind yourself to relax your shoulders to prevent pain.

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If you feel like you need more instruction, you can always join a class or watch YouTube videos for guidance.

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