How to Get Rid of Shoulder Ache with Stretches And Exercise: 5 exercises to loosen a painful shoulder

Rest feels like the obvious answer when your shoulder hurts. But complete immobilization for more than a day or two is usually counterproductive – the joint stiffens, muscles tighten around the injury, and recovery slows. The goal is controlled movement at the right intensity: enough to maintain range of motion and blood flow, not so much that you’re tearing at damaged tissue. These five approaches track through that progression from acute injury to full recovery.

Keep Moving (Gently)

Even in the first 24-48 hours, gentle movement beats total rest. Slow arm circles, shoulder shrugs, letting the arm hang and swing loosely – this isn’t about range of motion, it’s about preventing the joint from seizing up while it heals.

The threshold is simple: movement that produces mild discomfort is acceptable, movement that produces sharp or worsening pain is not. Back off from anything that crosses that line. You’re not pushing through anything here. Just keeping the joint from going completely rigid.

Try the Pendulum Stretch

This is the standard early rehab exercise because it’s nearly impossible to overdo. Stand at a table, lean forward and support yourself with your unaffected arm, let the sore arm hang straight down. Swing it gently in small circles – 10 clockwise, 10 counterclockwise. Gradually make the circles larger as tolerated.

The mechanism is simple: gravity does the work, not your muscles. The joint gets decompressed and moves through its range without loading the rotator cuff or surrounding tissue. Physical therapists use this from day one of shoulder rehab because the risk of aggravating the injury is minimal. Do it twice a day.

Do the Across-the-Chest Stretch

Bring the sore arm across your chest. Use your other hand to gently pull it closer to your body until you feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds, release, repeat three times.

This targets the posterior deltoid and rear rotator cuff – muscles that get tight from injury and from the habitual guarding and compensation patterns that develop around shoulder pain. You should feel a stretch, not pain. If it’s producing sharp pain rather than a stretching sensation, back off on the pull or skip this one until the acute phase passes.

Do Additional Shoulder Stretches

Once the initial pain settles (usually a few days in), a broader range of stretches helps restore mobility before it becomes a long-term problem. The doorway stretch is straightforward: stand in a doorway, press your forearm against the frame at shoulder height, lean forward until you feel a stretch across the front of your shoulder. Hold 30 seconds, repeat three times each side.

Another option: clasp your hands behind your back, elbows slightly bent, and gently lift them away from your body. You’ll feel the stretch across the chest and front of the shoulder. Keep it to stretching sensation only – sharp pain means stop. These stretches prevent the shoulder from tightening up permanently as the injury heals.

Strengthen Supporting Muscles

This is the phase most people skip, which is why so many shoulder problems recur. Once pain is minimal and you’ve got decent range of motion back, strengthening the small stabilizing muscles prevents the next injury.

Resistance band external rotations are the standard starting point: anchor a light band at elbow height, hold it with the elbow bent 90 degrees close to your side, and rotate your forearm outward against the resistance. Slow and controlled, 3 sets of 15. The goal isn’t building muscle size – it’s training the rotator cuff to properly stabilize the joint during normal movement. Weak stabilizers mean the large muscles end up compensating and overloading, which is how most repeat shoulder injuries happen.