How to help shoulder pain with yoga therapy techniques
This post about yoga for shoulder pain comes to me as a Q&A from one of my yoga therapy patients.
Question:
I often wake up with shoulder and/or neck discomfort. What are some things I can do to alleviate pain and tension?
Answer: There are two important factors when it comes to improving your shoulder pain.
- How you respond to your shoulder pain when it happens.
- Prevention of future shoulder pain.
What to do when you wake up with shoulder discomfort
When you wake up with shoulder pain, some gentle movement can be really helpful. If you have a spinal strip, use it! If you don’t, I give these out for free if you take an in-person program, or you can purchase them from Functional Synergy.
Yoga for Shoulder Pain Prevention: 3 Ways to Prevent Future Shoulder Discomfort
In terms of preventing shoulder pain, there are a couple of things that can help a lot.
1) Improve Shoulder Mobility
One is improving shoulder movement patterns and managing stress when you’re awake. Generally, if you’re doing more shoulder movement and working more skillfully with stress, you are less likely to wake up with discomfort. The video above is one option to help improve your shoulder mobility. You can also check out any of the links below for more ideas.
Helpful Yoga Therapy Exercises for Shoulder Movement
How to do Floor Angels
Using a Yoga Block for Shoulder Blades
Easy Self-Massage for Shoulders and Chest
Shoulder Rotation in Yoga Therapy
**Balls and Movement for Shoulder Release
(**This is one variation on reaches and pullovers from the video above.)
2) Manage Stress with Yoga for Shoulder Pain Relief
Stress often adds to shoulder pain. If you’re working skillfully with stress, you are going to be less likely to wake up with discomfort in your shoulders and neck.
A meditation practice may help relieve some of the stress you’re carrying in your shoulders. If you’re looking to give one a try, check out my Meditation & Breath Work Practices Playlist on YouTube.
3) Improve Your Sleep for Less Shoulder Pain
The other preventative strategy for shoulder pain is to make some adjustments to your sleep environment. This is sometimes referred to as “sleep hygiene”, an unappealing term that simply refers to addressing factors that can lead to poor sleep. I’m often able to help people come up with some simple, doable solutions that work well.
I also offer private Yoga Nidra, or Sleep Meditation Sessions which can help with both improving your Sleep Hygiene as well as the stress aspect of your shoulder pain.
Keep in mind, these recommendations are not medical advice. They are not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a medical professional. This is intended as an exploration for informational purposes only, and may not be suitable for everyone. Please move in a range that does not increase pain, and discontinue if anything doesn’t feel right. If you need more support, always get a professional assessment.
