One Effective Yoga Therapy Technique for Shoulder Pain and Tension Relief
I’ve got a treat for you in the video below. I’m sharing two different variations on a movement called ‘Pulling the Thread’—a favorite in my yoga for shoulder pain sessions that I use with many clients and see really great results.
Yoga for Shoulder Pain: What Does Pulling the Thread help with?
Pulling the Thread can act as a sort of magnifier for what’s often described in yoga classes as a “heart opener.” It can create a sense of space and ease across the front of the chest and shoulders that can be helpful for better breathing. It can also improve shoulder movement patterns, easing pain and tension symptoms from your low back to your neck (or even beyond), depending on what’s going on in your body.
Pulling the Thread is NOT a magic “yoga for shoulder pain” cure all. Like any movement practice, it works best when practiced regularly over a period of time. Additionally, the more you’re willing to follow the movement principles I teach, the more effective this movement will be. (Speaking of which, I’ve shared a little more about those basic principles below.)
There’s no single practice that benefits everyone. Trust what your body is telling you, and if this feels unnecessarily hard, uncomfortable, or doesn’t seem to make much difference, discontinue practice and seek one-on-one help.
5 General Movement Principles to follow in a Yoga Practice
While there are exceptions and some nuance, these are the general principles I recommend my clients follow during yoga practice:
- Move in a range that doesn’t increase pain or other symptoms: Not because pain is dangerous, but because giving your brain experience with movement that doesn’t hurt can lead to more pain free movement.
- Move slowly: Start with smaller movements and build gradually.
- Pay attention: Notice everything you feel as you move. If you’re holding your breath, gripping or bracing anywhere, or have extra movement in other parts of your body, these can be indicators to make your movements smaller and find more ease.
- Isolate Movement: Work to isolate movement in a single joint first before working on more complex movements.
- Do what you can: Work towards finding a range of motion that feels smooth and controlled.
It’s not important to be perfect, but following these principles can help you progress more easily towards feeling better. Pulling the Thread is a great movement to apply this in, as is any movement practice with therapeutic intent.
Struggling with shoulder pain and not sure where to start?
Check out more of my blog to find many shoulder pain resources! OR even better – book a free consultation to find out if yoga for shoulder pain and personalized movement strategies can help you feel better. Let’s talk about what’s going on and create a plan that works for your body.
