Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Care

Shoulder popping when lifting arm is usually harmless if there's no pain, swelling or weakness. Gas bubbles, tendons sliding over bone, and stiff or weak muscles can all make noise. A pop that comes with pain, catching, weakness or a...

Isometric shoulder exercises are holds where you press against a wall, door frame or your own hand without moving the joint. They build strength and often ease pain when moving the arm feels irritating. Five holds of 10 to 30...

The best shoulder-friendly chest exercises keep your elbows tucked at about 30 to 45 degrees, limit how far the arms drop behind your body, and often use a neutral grip. Incline push-ups, dumbbell floor presses and neutral grip presses let...

The best rotator cuff exercises with dumbbells use very light weights, usually 1 to 5 pounds, and slow, controlled reps. Side-lying external rotation, prone Y and T raises, and scaption are reliable picks, done two or three times a week...

Shoulder pain when reaching behind back usually comes from a stiff back of the shoulder, irritated rotator cuff tendons, or a joint that has lost some inward rotation. Gentle stretches, light strengthening and small daily practice reaches help most everyday...

For most everyday aches, you can exercise with shoulder pain as long as the pain stays mild, doesn't build during the session, and settles by the next day. The smart move is usually to change what you do, not stop...

The best rotator cuff exercises for seniors are gentle, slow moves done seated or standing with support, such as shoulder blade squeezes, isometric presses and light band rotations. Two or three short sessions a week help keep older shoulders strong...

Shoulder mobility stick exercises use a broomstick, dowel or PVC pipe to guide your arms through overhead, rotation and behind-the-back ranges. The stick lets your stronger arm help the stiffer one, so you can loosen tight shoulders gently in five...

The best sleeping position for shoulder pain is usually on your back, with a small pillow under the sore arm so it rests slightly away from your body. If you prefer your side, lie on the pain-free side and hug...

The main shoulder impingement exercises to avoid for now are upright rows, behind-the-neck presses and pulldowns, deep dips, wide-grip bench pressing to the chest and heavy overhead work. You don't have to ban them forever. Swap them for friendlier versions...