[[{“value”:”Do you ever end your day feeling like you’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Stress, poor posture, and too little physical activity can all contribute to tense shoulders. These triggers can cause the muscles around your neck and shoulders to tighten, leaving you feeling stiff and uncomfortable. A massage can offer temporary relief, but if you regularly experience shoulder stiffness, this habit can become quite expensive.
We spoke with experts to learn a more sustainable approach. They recommend four stretches you can do each night to help ease stiffness more quickly than getting a massage after 60.
“Stretching can realistically improve muscle flexibility, connective tissue mobility, and joint mobility to some extent, which could alleviate the stiffness, tension, and discomfort. It can also make it easier to reach overhead, dress, or perform certain daily activities. However, stretching won’t restore joint mobility if the restriction is caused by arthritis, significant joint degeneration, or some other structural problem,” explains Rasika Bhide, DPT, MS, OCS, Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and Licensed Physical Therapist, NJ, NY, and TX. “A simple way to describe it to the patients is: Stretching can make the tissues around the shoulder more mobile and comfortable, but it cannot always change a stiff joint itself. The goal is to enhance the movement that is available and reduce unnecessary tension.”
Wall Pectoral Stretch
“This opens the front of the chest and reduces tightness in the pectoral muscles that can often result in rounded shoulders and limited shoulder movement,” Bhide tells us.
Begin standing beside a wall with your right side facing the surface.
Plant your right palm and forearm against the wall with your elbow around shoulder level.
Gradually turn your chest and torso away from the wall until you feel a gentle stretch across the right side of your chest.
Hold for the prescribed time before returning to the start position.
Repeat on the other side.
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Upper Trapezius Stretch
“The upper trapezius becomes overactive or tight from prolonged sitting, forward-head stance and age-related postural change. Gentle stretching can reduce tension in the neck and top of the shoulder,” Bhide says.
Begin by sitting or standing tall with your arms at your sides.
Maintain a tall chest and gently roll your shoulder blades down.
Slowly tilt your head to the left, bringing your left ear toward your left shoulder.
Hold for the prescribed amount of time.
Release.
Repeat on the other side.
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Supine Shoulder Flexion
“If your shoulders are stiff, stop when you start to feel pain and do less motion. Don’t push through pain,” Dr. Owen Campbell, PT, Physical Therapist and Owner of Simplify Motion, a PT clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, instructs.
Begin by lying flat on your back.
Grab a stick, cane, or umbrella.
Starting with the stick at your waist, reach it overhead, keeping your arms straight the entire time.
Lower.
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Open Book
“This is a good stretch for stiffness in your thoracic spine, which is a big reason for many people’s stiff shoulders,” explains Dr. Campbell.
Begin by lying on your side.
Bring your knees up close to a fetal position.
Reach your arms out in front of you, one hand on top of the other, keeping your elbows straight.
Take your top arm and lead it over to the other side of the bed as if you are looking behind you.
Return to the start position.
Repeat on the other side.
The post 4 Nightly Stretches That Loosen Stiff Shoulders Faster Than a Massage After 60 appeared first on Eat This Not That.”}]]