15-Minute Shoulder Stretches for When Your Upper Body is Tight and Aching

"If you're anything like me, your shoulders are where you tend to hold the most tension and tightness. So if you struggle with stiffness here, especially in the morning, I can relate. The following shoulder stretches focuses primarily on bringing relief to your upper body. They include a little twisting, a little side bending, also some back bending. It's mostly yoga poses for mobility although it also challenges you to strengthen your upper body a little."

"It also includes a few movements that aren't necessarily yoga but are helpful shoulder exercises that I learned during physical therapy that are easily included in your practice. One is a simple breathing technique that, when you position your arms in a certain way, helps you feel an opening through the chest and shoulders. These poses definitely help you most when you practice them consistently."

Targeted shoulder stretches combine twisting, side bending, and gentle backbends to relieve upper-body tension and improve mobility. The sequence blends primarily yoga poses with a few therapist-recommended exercises, including a breathing technique that opens the chest when the arms are positioned overhead. The practice requires one prop (a long yoga strap, belt, scarf, Theraband) and optional blocks. A 15-minute routine emphasizes consistent repetition to increase fluidity and ease through the shoulders, chest, and upper back. The reclined breathing technique starts lying on the back with arms overhead, focusing on lower-belly inhales and rib-cage engagement on exhale.

Read at Yoga Journal