16 Best Shoulder Stretches for Your Tight, Achy Upper Body

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Tight shoulders are my longtime nemesis, and the terrible posture I’ve perfected lately (thanks, bed-desk!) definitely isn’t helping. Shoulder stretches, however, are an easy antidote to upper-body aches.

Your shoulders are an important, complex system made up of four different joints, says Brando Lakes, P.T., DPT, a physical therapist with Orthology in New York City. These joints are some of the most mobile joints in the body, adds Vinita Chandra Mody, P.T., founder of and women’s health specialist at Stroma Physical Therapy in New York City—and they deserve lots of TLC.

When you want to stretch tight shoulders, it’s not as simple as stretching a single muscle. All of the muscles that support the shoulder joints comprise the shoulder muscle group. The rotator cuff alone includes four muscles, says Elizabeth Lamontagne, P.T., DPT, SCS, CKTP, assistant director and physical therapist at Recovery Physical Therapy in New York City. “And then layered on top of those, you have more commonly known ones, like your deltoids, your pectoralis muscles, your middle trap, upper trap, low trap. And then you have other ones that go from your shoulder down your arm, like your biceps and your triceps. There’s other layers of muscles too,” she says. Together these muscles—there are at least 17 of them—help you perform any movement involving the arms and hands, including shampooing your hair, cooking a meal, carrying a heavy grocery bag, or texting your friends, says Lakes.

Shoulder pain and tightness is often caused by poor posture (think strained neck, rounded shoulders) that shortens the muscles in your upper body to a painful degree. Poor movement habits in day-to-day life—like chronically elevating your shoulders or leaning your head to one side as your work—can also trigger shoulder pain and tightness, says Lakes. Because the shoulder joints require a lot of muscle coordination to work properly, muscles around the joints can get tight when there is imbalance in this coordinated effort, says Mody. Stress can also cause shoulder pain and tightness, she adds. Other culprits include sleeping in weird positions, sitting for long periods of time without moving your arms up or out to the side, and exercise injury, adds Lamontagne.

Regularly doing shoulder stretches can improve shoulder mobility and increase flexibility. Because the neck and shoulders are “really intimately involved,” doing neck stretches can also help reduce shoulder tightness, adds Mody. (You’ll see several neck stretches listed below.) It’s also a good idea to incorporate shoulder-strengthening alongside shoulder stretching, says Mody, as this combo can deliver more effective, long-term relief from shoulder tightness and pain.

Step one: Practicing good posture throughout the day, and taking breaks from whatever position you've been sitting or standing in, can also help assuage nagging tightness, adds Lamontagne.

If you have a history of full or partial shoulder dislocation, or general hypermobility and instability in any of your joints, chat with a medical professional before doing these stretches, says Lamontagne. And if your shoulder pain is limiting your ability to work or perform basic day-to-day activities (like putting on a shirt or doing your hair)—of if you notice repetitive pain with one specific activity—these stretches probably won’t solve your problem. Instead, see a doctor or a physical therapist to assess what’s going on.

Do these mobility stretches daily for maximum effect and keep them gentle and comfortable—you shouldn’t feel any sharp pain, tearing, or popping.

1. Wall slides

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Stand facing a blank wall with your feet less than a foot’s distance from the wall.
• Place both hands on the wall, shoulder-distance apart. This is the starting position.
• Slide your hands up to stretch your arms overhead. Reach as far as you can without any aches, pains, or pinching. You should feel a stretch on the sides of your armpits. Hold for one or two seconds, breathing steadily, and then repeat for a total of 10 times.

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Return to the starting position. Slide your hands up and out into a Y position, reaching as far as you can without any aches, pains, or pinches. You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for one or two seconds, breathing steadily, and then repeat for a total of 10 times.

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Return to the starting position. Slide your hands to horizontal, keeping your arms at shoulder level, and reach as far as you can (again, without any aches, pains, or pinching). You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 10 seconds, breathing steadily; do 10 times.

Tip: As you perform the slides, look straight ahead and keep your neck as relaxed as possible; don’t shrug your shoulders up toward your ears, says Lamontagne.

2. Supine pectoralis stretch

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground.
• Lift your arms straight up toward the ceiling.
• Open your arms horizontally into a T position. Your palms are facing up and your arms are hovering right above ground level (or, if you’re really flexible, they’ll be resting on the ground).
• You should feel a gentle stretch in your chest, biceps, and the front of your shoulders. Hold for 60 seconds. If you’re really tight, hold for 20 to 30 seconds, rest, and repeat.

Tip: For a deeper stretch, place a foam roller lengthwise along your spine from your tailbone to your head. You may feel the stretch extend into your forearms and wrists, says Lamontagne.

3. Supine latissimus dorsi stretch

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground.
• Lift your arms straight up toward the ceiling, palms facing each other.
• Then reach your arms straight back over your head, keeping your elbows straight.
• You should feel a gentle stretch in your torso and the sides of your armpits. Back off if you feel a pinching or stiffness in your shoulder. Hold for 60 seconds. If you’re really tight, hold for 20 to 30 seconds, rest, and repeat.

Tip: For a deeper stretch, place a foam roller lengthwise along your spine.

4. Sleeper stretch

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

Stretch by Elizabeth Lamontagne / Photo by Linda LaSorsa

• Stand perpendicular to a wall with your left side close to the wall and lean your left shoulder into the wall.
• Raise your left arm up so that it forms a 90 degree angle to your body; then bend your left elbow to 90 degrees, left palm facing away from the wall.
• Rotate your left palm down toward the ground. You should feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder.
• To add additional pressure, use your right hand to gently press down on your left forearm.
• Hold for 30 seconds or more.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Tip: This stretch can feel painful at first, warns Lamontagne. But if you hold it gently, the pain should decrease during the 30 seconds. Of course if you feel or hear a pinching, cracking, or popping sensation, back off.

5. Doorway pectoralis stretch

Stretch by Vinita Chandra Mody / Photo by Grace Young

• Stand up straight in front of an open doorway.
• Place your hands and forearms onto either side of the doorway at shoulder level.
• Lean forward until you feel a stretch along your chest and in front of your shoulders.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

6. Triceps stretch

Stretch by Vinita Chandra Mody / Photo by M. Murphy Studios

• Stand with your chin tucked in and raise your right arm straight up.
• Bend your right elbow and place your right palm behind your head.
• Place your left hand on your right elbow and pull toward the left. Stop when you feel a stretch in your right triceps.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Keep your chin tucked in.
• Switch sides and repeat.

7. Posterior cuff stretch

Stretch by Vinita Chandra Mody / Photo by M. Murphy Studios

• Stand up straight and cross your right arm in front of your body at shoulder height.
• Use your left palm to lightly push your right elbow toward your body.
• When you feel a gentle stretch behind your right shoulder, stop and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Don’t rotate your torso.
• Switch sides and repeat.

8. Thread the needle

Stretch by Vinita Chandra Mody / Photo by M. Murphy Studios

Stretch by Vinita Chandra Mody / Photo by M. Murphy Studios

• Place a foam roller on the ground and get on all fours with hands under shoulder, knees under hips.
• Keep your chin tucked in, back straight, and shoulder blades pulled together.
• Reach your right arm under the left and onto the foam roller, palm up. Roll your right arm and shoulder through. Pause, reverse the movement and then raise your right arm up and back to open your chest. This is one rep.
• Perform two reps and then switch sides and repeat.

9. Levator scapulae

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Brittany Posas

• From a kneeling or standing position, rotate your head to the right as far as possible. (Imagine you are trying to look at something over your right shoulder.)
• From here, relax your neck and cup the back of your head with your right hand. Gently pull your nose down toward your right shoulder. You should feel a stretch on the left side of your neck. Hold for 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Tip: For a deeper stretch, follow the steps above, but once you feel a stretch, bend your other arm, place that hand on the part of your neck where you feel the stretch, and point that elbow up.

10. Upper trapezius stretch

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Brittany Posas

• From a kneeling or standing position, make yourself as tall as possible. Think about elongating your neck.
• Take your right hand and wrap it around your head so that your middle finger touches your left ear; reach your left hand down toward the ground. Relax your neck and allow gravity to gently pull your head to the right. (Don’t use your hand to pull.) You should feel a stretch on the left side of the neck. Hold for 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

11. Pec minor doorway stretch

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

• Stand in front of a doorway and place your right elbow and forearm on the doorframe. Your right elbow should be slightly below shoulder height, and your shoulder blades should come together.
• Slowly take a few steps forward through the doorway, keeping your elbow and forearm fixed on the doorframe. It does not matter which foot leads. You will feel a gentle stretch in the front of your right chest. (Step backward if the stretch feels intense.)
• Then back up slightly and rotate your whole body toward the left while keeping your right elbow and forearm fixed on the doorframe. Stop rotating when you feel a gentle stretch in the area where your chest connects to your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Tip: Slowly slide your elbow up and down the doorframe to locate which positioning elicits the most tightness. Perform this stretch from that positioning, says Lakes. You can also combine this stretch with the levator scapulae stretch to feel “a lot of relief very, very quickly,” says Lakes. When you’re rotating toward the opposite side, perform the levator scapulae stretch.

12. Foam roll angels

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

13. Latissimus child’s pose

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

14. Standing latissimus stretch

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Maria Mezzadri

15. Thoracic extension

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

16. Open book

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez

Stretch by Brando Lakes / Photo by Matthew Rodriguez