Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Care

Gentle, coach-built shoulder pain exercises, rotator cuff strengthening, impingement-friendly moves and mobility routines for women 25 and up. Written by Coach Luke, NASM corrective exercise specialist.

Woman doing a band pull apart, one of the rotator cuff exercises with resistance bands at home

Rotator Cuff Exercises With Resistance Bands at Home

Rotator cuff exercises with resistance bands strengthen the four small muscles that keep your shoulder steady, using light, smooth tension you can control. External and internal rotations, pull aparts, rows and a few raises, done two or three times a...

Woman doing a single-arm dumbbell row on a bench as part of a shoulder-friendly upper body workout

Shoulder-Friendly Upper Body Workout for Women

A shoulder-friendly upper body workout keeps your arms, chest and back strong while steering clear of the positions that tend to irritate a sensitive shoulder. It leans on rows, neutral-grip presses, floor presses and band work, uses light to moderate...

Woman doing a gentle cat stretch on a yoga mat to ease shoulder blade pain at home

Shoulder Blade Pain Exercises and Stretches That Help

Most everyday shoulder blade pain comes from tight, tired muscles in the upper back, often from long hours of sitting, phone use or carrying a bag on one side. Gentle stretches like the cat stretch and thread the needle, plus...

Woman doing a resistance band pull-apart, one of the best shoulder strengthening exercises to do at home

Shoulder Strengthening Exercises for Women at Home

The best shoulder strengthening exercises for women at home train three areas together: the rotator cuff, the upper back muscles that steady your shoulder blades, and the deltoids that lift your arms. Band rows, pull-aparts, external rotations, wall push-ups and...

Woman doing a gentle tabletop towel slide to ease shoulder pain when lifting arm forward

Shoulder Pain When Lifting Arm: Causes and Easy Fixes

Shoulder pain when lifting arm usually comes from irritated rotator cuff tendons or a bursa getting pinched as the arm rises, often worst between shoulder and head height. Easing off painful reaching, strengthening the cuff and upper back, and improving...

Woman resting on her back with her arm on a pillow to ease shoulder pain at night

Shoulder Pain at Night: Why It Flares and What Helps

Shoulder pain at night usually flares because lying down squeezes or stretches an already irritated rotator cuff, and there is less going on to distract you. Changing how you lie, propping the arm on a pillow, and doing a few...

Woman doing a standing arm reach as part of a daily shoulder mobility exercises routine

Shoulder Mobility Exercises: A 10-Minute Daily Routine

The best shoulder mobility exercises move your shoulders and upper back through their full range, slowly and often. A 10-minute daily routine of arm circles, wall slides, thread the needle and gentle chest openers is enough to help most stiff...

Woman doing a gentle doorway chest stretch, one of the shoulder impingement exercises she can do at home

Shoulder Impingement Exercises That Ease Overhead Pain

The best shoulder impingement exercises strengthen the rotator cuff and the muscles that move your shoulder blade, while gently opening a tight chest and upper back. Band rotations, rows, wall slides and doorway stretches, done in a pain-free range, help...

Woman doing a wall slide, one of the rotator cuff exercises for stronger shoulders

Rotator Cuff Exercises: 8 Moves for Stronger Shoulders

The best rotator cuff exercises are slow, light rotation and raising moves like band external rotations, side-lying rotations and prone raises. Done two or three times a week with easy loads, they strengthen the four small muscles that keep your...

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