Exercise is essential for both your physical and mental health. While it’s often used as a way to improve your overall lifestyle and wellness, the right exercises can also help to alleviate issues that are impacting your quality of life, such as a painful shoulder condition like shoulder impingement. 

Shoulder impingement is a condition that occurs when the rotator cuff tendon rubs against the top of the scapula, or shoulder blade. It’s often the result of repetitive overhead movements, such as swimming, painting or construction. It can also come from overuse or poor posture.

When you’re experiencing shoulder impingement symptoms, exercises can play a large role in alleviating the discomfort and moving you along the recovery process. 

Read on to learn about specific exercises that can help shoulder impingement. We’ll also discuss other physical therapy treatment options worth testing out alongside an exercise plan, as well as how Continuum Wellness can help alleviate your symptoms.

6 shoulder impingement exercises worth trying

Shoulder impingement is a common condition, with up to 34% of people who visit a doctor for shoulder pain being diagnosed with shoulder impingement syndrome. Along with pain that worsens with arm movements, shoulder impingement can also cause muscle weakness and reduced range of motion.

The goal of shoulder impingement exercises is to help restore your shoulder’s mobility and function while also reducing pain and the risk of future issues. They often involve strengthening and stretching exercises. A physical therapist can guide you through exercises to make sure that they’re being performed correctly and safely.

Here are a few shoulder exercises that your physical therapist may recommend that you perform during sessions and in between appointments. They will instruct you on how many times you should repeat each one. Some exercises may also involve using additional equipment, such as an exercise band.

Here are six exercises to try if you’re struggling with shoulder impingement symptoms:

• Shoulder blade flex — Stand with your back straight and arms resting at your sides. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold the flexed position for up to six seconds before relaxing your muscles. Repeat as many times as your physical therapist instructs.
• Doorway shoulder stretch — Stand in a doorway. Place the forearm with the affected shoulder against the frame. It should be just underneath the height of your shoulder. Slowly turn your body away from your arm until you feel a gentle stretch in your shoulder and pec muscles. Hold that position for up to 20 seconds before turning back to the starting position. Repeat the stretch as directed by your physical therapist.
• Crossover arm stretch — Take your left arm and cross it over your chest. It should be just underneath shoulder height. Use your right hand to keep your arm gently pulled as you stretch the muscles in the back of your shoulder. Hold the stretch for up to five seconds, or as directed by your physical therapist, before dropping both arms to a resting position. Switch to the right arm. 
• Wall slide — Stand with your back flat against a wall. Keep your upper back against the surface while you plant your feet approximately 12 inches away from the wall so that you’re in a slightly squatted position. Lift your arms out to the side so that your forearms are against the wall and your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Slowly slide your arms up the wall until they are completely extended above your head before lowering them back down. Repeat as directed by your physical therapist.
• External rotation with band — Wrap a resistance band around a solid surface or object, such as a doorknob, at approximately waist height. Hold the end of the band with the hand of the affected arm. Stand sideways so you’re parallel to the band. Bend your arm at the elbow so it’s at a 90-degree angle across your stomach with your upper arm pressed against your body. Rotate the bent arm away from your body while holding the band. Repeat the movement as directed by your physical therapist.
• Floor cobra raise — Lie face down on the floor. Your arms should be resting by your side with your palms facing the floor. Lift your chest while keeping your legs and hips flat. Rotate and raise your arms off the floor. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and hold the position for two seconds before returning to your resting position. Repeat as directed by your physical therapist.

Your physical therapist will instruct you on how often you should perform shoulder impingement exercises to improve your symptoms without putting excessive strain on the affected area. They may recommend that you perform them up to five times a day, depending on the types of exercises you’re completing.

It’s also important to note that not all exercises are beneficial for shoulder impingement. Common exercises such as weightlifting and internal rotations may worsen your symptoms by putting excessive stress on the affected muscles and joints. You should also avoid overhead movements as much as possible.

Treatments to combine with your shoulder impingement exercises

If you’re seeking physical therapy for your shoulder impingement, then exercises are going to be a pillar of your treatment plan. However, the best results come from combining multiple forms of treatment to address the issue from every angle. While exercises can help, you can maximize the results by teaming them up with other effective courses of action.

On top of exercises, there are other physical therapy treatments that can help you reduce your shoulder impingement pain and improve the overall quality of the area. Two common approaches used by physical therapists for the condition are manual therapy and electrical stimulation.

Manual therapy involves a physical therapist using their hands to manipulate the affected soft tissue to reduce pain and improve mobility. Since shoulder impingement affects your shoulder joints, your therapist will likely use a manual therapy technique called joint mobilization. It involves them gently moving the joint in repetitive movements to loosen up the surrounding tissue for increased range of motion.

Electrical stimulation is a modality that’s often used for pain management of conditions like shoulder impingement. It involves sending gentle pulses of electricity to the affected area. The pulses interrupt the pain signals being sent to the brain while also boosting blood circulation for an accelerated recovery.

Continuum Wellness can guide you through shoulder impingement exercises

You probably use your shoulder much more than you realize, from waving at a neighbor to carrying groceries. When you develop a painful condition that interferes with those everyday tasks, it can affect your overall quality of life. It’s important that you take the proper steps to alleviate your symptoms and restore your shoulder function as much as possible with the right exercises.

Shoulder impingement exercises can make a notable difference if you’re struggling with symptoms such as pain and weakness. But you can only accomplish the results you’re looking for if you perform them the right way. That’s why it’s important that you turn to a physical therapist who can create an exercise program just for you.

At Continuum Wellness, we’ll assess your shoulder impingement symptoms by evaluating your shoulder’s overall strength, flexibility and range of motion. Your physical therapist will combine that information with their knowledge and experience to determine the right exercises for you, as well as the co-occurring treatments that can help you reach your physical therapy goals.

Call us or request an appointment today to treat shoulder impingement pain.