How to Do an Overhead Shoulder Stretch

Stretching the shoulders is a good way to improve their flexibility. It promotes normal range of motion, allowing joints and muscles to move without any restriction. Stretching also improves posture, decreases the risk of injuries when doing certain sports or everyday activities, and enhances sufficient supply of blood and nutrients around the moving structures that helps to reduce soreness after doing any exercise or training. Overhead shoulder stretch is a technique that improves the balance of your movement around the joint, which will enable you to perform certain types of motion in a proper way, such as doing certain strokes in swimming or just merely reaching objects above the head.

Instructions

• 1

  Perform the palms-up overhead stretch. Sit upright in a comfortable chair. Your back must rest firmly on the back rest of the chair with feet open wide and flat on the floor for a stable base of support. Clasp your hands together, and bring them up by elevating your arms overhead with palms facing up and elbows flexed. This serves as your starting position. Inhale as you pull your shoulders back. Exhale as you extend your elbows further up, as if you’re trying to reach the ceiling with your clasped palms. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and then relax. You can incorporate stretching of the trunk with this method by bending from side to side.

• 2

  Execute the palms-down overhead stretch. Lie on your back on a firm bed or an exercise mat. Lift your chest up to allow your back to firmly rest on the bed or mat, without overarching it. Arms should be on the sides of your body. You can either keep your legs flexed or extended. Elevate your forearms to interlock your fingers on top of your belly area. Upper arms should still be resting on the bed. This will be your starting position. Inhale as you extend your arms up to the level of your chest (palms should remain face down). Exhale as you bring your arms overhead as you slightly pull your shoulders back at the same time. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and then relax.

• 3

  Do the variation of the palms-down overhead shoulder stretch. Sit upright on the floor or an exercise mat with your back facing the gym ball. Flex your legs, and keep your feet flat on the floor. Now allow your upper back to rest on the gym ball so that you are now facing the ceiling. Clasp your hands together and bring your arms over your body at shoulder level (elbows should still be flexed at this moment). This will be your starting position. Briefly take a deep breath. Exhale as you bring your arms overhead, and reach further back until you can feel the stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and relax. Make sure that you are experienced at controlling the gym ball before doing this method.

• 4

  Perform the inferior shoulder capsule stretch. Standing or seated, start by raising your arms overhead. Flex your right arm so that your elbow is pointed to the right and your right forearm is directed down on your neck. Inhale as you grasp your right elbow with your left. Exhale as you gradually push your right elbow to the side until you can feel the stretch, or until the right upper arm is almost vertically aligned with your body. Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds, and then relax. Do the same procedure on the left side.

• 5

  Execute the reaching overhead stretch. Sit upright on a chair with feet flat on the floor. Extend your right arm above your head with fingers pointing at the ceiling. Extend your left arm downwards with fingers pointing on the floor. Take a deep breath. Exhale as you gradually reach as far as you can on both directions at the same time until you can feel a stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and then relax. Repeat the procedure by switching the position of your arms: left arm overhead and right arm directed on the floor.

• 6

  Do the sitting forward shoulder stretch. Sit upright in a comfortable chair, feet flat on the floor, and facing a table at arms’ length. Extend your arms overhead with palms facing in front. Place your forearms on the table, and bend your trunk forward so that you are now facing the floor. Take a deep breath, and exhale as you bring your body downward until you can feel a stretch. Make sure that your forearms are glued on the table to provide stability as you lower your body. Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds, and then relax.