How to Get Rid of Tightness in Your Shoulders

Tightness and tension in the shoulders is a result of bad posture, being in a position for excessive amounts of time or overuse of the shoulder muscles. Tension in the shoulders may lead to tension headaches and discomfort in the neck area. This can be painful and limit your performance. There are products available for the treatment of tight muscles, but there are even more natural ways of ridding the shoulders of tension. One method is to loosen the shoulder muscles with stretches, of which there are several.

Instructions

• 1

  Raise one arm straight into the air with elbow locked and the palm facing forward. Reach the other hand behind your head to hold between the shoulder and elbow of the raised arm. Pull gently until you feel the stretching sensation. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat this with each shoulder up to 10 times a day or until tension is released.

• 2

  Shrug the shoulders, raising them to the top of the neck or near the ears. Hold the shoulders in this position for 3 to 5 seconds and relax. Repeat this two to three times.

• 3

  Hold the hands straight up above the head, and interlock the fingers with palms facing upward. Pull the arms slightly back and up until you feel the stretch. Hold this for 15 seconds and relax.

• 4

  Stand in an open doorway, and place your hands on each side of the doorway at shoulder height. Bend the knees slightly, and keep your head and chest up. Lean forward until you feel pressure on the shoulders. Hold this position for 15 seconds and release.

• 5

  Place your hands behind your back, and interlock your fingers. Keep your hands a few inches from your body and slowly turn arms and elbows toward each other until you feel a stretch in the shoulders. Hold for 5 to 15 seconds and release. Repeat the process one more time.