Seven Gentle Yoga Poses To Release Frozen Shoulder

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New Delhi: Frozen shoulder syndrome (FSS), or adhesive capsulitis, is a disorder in which inflammation and scar tissue surrounding the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint and a lack of synovial fluid restrict the ability of the humerus to move in the socket, causing varying degrees of immobilization and pain.

The human body was designed to be a mobile instrument, active during the day: walking around, gathering food, and, for the most part, being in a state of activity.  Yet, this is no longer the case! We merely drive to work, sit in front of a computer the whole day, perhaps, eat lunch at our desks, and then come home to sit, once again, in front of the television set.  Consequently, during this time, our shoulders crunch, and eventually, become frozen. Generally, the right shoulder tends to suffer significantly.

Kneeling Neck Stretches 

  1. Relieve tightness in the neck and shoulders and improve internal rotation of the shoulder joint with this stretch.
  2. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Place a yoga block on the medium height between your feet. Then, sit your hips back on the block and lift your chest upright.
  3. Interlace your fingers behind your lower back and engage your abs.
  4. Slowly lower your right ear towards your right shoulder. Take a deep inhale and feel the left side of your neck lengthen.
  5. Exhale to roll your chin down towards your chest. Then, inhale to roll your left ear up towards your left shoulder.
  6. Take a deep breath here to feel the right side of your neck lengthen, then roll back in the other direction. Continue rolling side-to-side for eight reps per side.

Puppy Pose

  1. Puppy pose gently puts the shoulders into forward flexion, which can become a challenging movement for a frozen shoulder.
  2. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your knees hip-width distance apart.
  3. Keep your hips stacked above your knees and walk your hands forward until you can lower your forehead to the ground or onto a yoga block. Then, continue walking your hands towards the top of the mat until your arms are stretched out.
  4. Hold here and take eight deep breaths.

Supported Thread the Needle

  1. This pose relieves stiffness in the rear part of the shoulder and in the upper back.
  2. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Place a block at the lowest height between your hands.
  3. Pick up your right hand and thread the arm between your left arm and left leg. Lower your right cheek onto the block.
  4. Straighten the right arm out, resting the top of the arm and hand on the ground. Hold for eight slow breaths, then switch sides.

Cow Face Arms

  1. Use a strap in this pose to improve range of motion throughout the shoulder joint.
  2. Start sitting up tall on a yoga block or in a chair.
  3. Hold the strap in your right hand and reach your right arm up to the ceiling. Then bend the elbow to lower your right hand behind your head.
  4. Reach your left arm behind your back and grab the other end of the strap.
  5. Walk your hands towards one another, bringing them as close as you can.
  6. Sit up tall and hold for eight breaths, feeling a stretch in the front of the left shoulder and the top of the right. Then, switch sides.

Eagle Arms

  1. Twisting up your arms in this pose relieves stiffness in the rear shoulder and upper back.
  2. Start sitting up tall on a yoga block or in a chair.
  3. Cross your right arm underneath your left and wrap the forearms around one another to bring the palms to touch. If this is inaccessible, place each hand on the opposite shoulder.
  4. Lift your elbows up in line with your shoulders and press your forearms forward to feel a stretch through the back of the shoulders and the upper back.
  5. Hold for eight breaths, then switch the crossing of your arms.

If you get searing shoulder pain that comes out of nowhere and limits your range of motion, try these seven yoga poses that’ll fix your “frozen” shoulder.

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