Shoulders Stretches
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which is also why it's the most prone to stiffness, impingement, and rotator cuff issues. Most shoulder discomfort outside of acute injury traces back to two patterns: rounded posture from desk work (tight pecs, weak mid-back) and overhead range that's gone unused. The stretches below address both — doorway pec stretches and thoracic openers restore the front-to-back balance, while sleeper, cross-body, and overhead reaches restore the rotational and elevation range that the rotator cuff needs to stay healthy.
44 shoulders stretches in the Body Fix library
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Neck Side Tilt
Sit tall, gently tilt one ear toward the same shoulder until you feel a stretch along the opposite side of your neck, hold, then switch sides.
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Levator Scapulae Stretch
Sit upright, place one hand on the back of your head, look down toward your opposite knee at 45 degrees, and gently apply downward pressure to stretch the side of your neck.
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Upper Trapezius Stretch
Sit upright, reach one hand behind your back, use the other hand to tilt your head away from that side, and apply light downward pressure to stretch the upper trapezius.
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Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
Pull one arm straight across your chest with the opposite hand near the elbow until you feel a deep stretch in the back of your shoulder.
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Overhead Shoulder Stretch
Raise one arm overhead, bend the elbow so your hand drops behind your neck, and use the opposite hand to gently press the elbow back until you feel the stretch in the shoulder. Alternate sides.
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Doorway Shoulder Stretch
Stand in a doorway with both arms raised to 90 degrees pressed against the frame, step one foot forward, and lean gently through the doorway to open the chest and shoulders.
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Sleeper Stretch
Lie on your side with your bottom arm out at shoulder height, elbow bent to 90 degrees, then use your top hand to gently press the forearm down to stretch the posterior shoulder capsule. Alternate sides.
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Shoulder Pendulum (Codman Exercise)
Lean forward with one hand on a table for support, let the other arm hang freely, and gently swing it in small circles using body weight rather than muscle contraction. Alternate sides.
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Eagle Arms (Garudasana Arms)
Extend both arms forward, wrap one arm under the other at the elbows, try to bring your palms together, and lift your elbows to shoulder height to feel the stretch between your shoulder blades. Alternate sides.
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Thread the Needle
On hands and knees, slide one arm under your body along the floor until your shoulder rests on the ground, feeling the rotational stretch through the upper back and shoulder. Alternate sides.
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Cow Face Arms (Gomukhasana Arms)
Reach one arm overhead and bend the elbow behind your head while the opposite arm reaches up your back, working to clasp fingers between your shoulder blades. Use a towel between your hands if needed. Alternate sides.
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Wall Chest and Shoulder Stretch
Stand sideways next to a wall, place your forearm flat against it at shoulder height, and slowly rotate your body away until you feel the stretch across your chest and front shoulder. Alternate sides.
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Resistance Band Shoulder Pass-Through
Hold a resistance band wide in front of you, then slowly raise it overhead and bring it behind your back in a controlled arc, keeping your arms straight throughout.
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Wall Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretch
Stand sideways with your elbow at 90 degrees pressed against a wall at shoulder height, then rotate your body forward and away from the wall to stretch the posterior shoulder capsule. Alternate sides.
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Floor Shoulder Overhead Stretch
Start by lying down on your stomach with one straight arm stretched out to the side. Slowly use the opposite arm to push the floor to raise your chest off the ground. Go until you feel a light stretch in the targeted muscles. Hold for up to 20-30 seconds and slowly release by lowering the chest back down to the ground. Alternate sides.
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Shoulder Blade Pinch
Lie face down or stand tall, then make quick flutters with your shoulder blades by gently pinching them together and releasing. Keep the movement small and controlled.
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Doorway Pec Stretch
Stand in a doorway with elbows at 90 degrees pressed against the frame at chest height, step one foot forward, and lean through the doorway to stretch both pectorals.
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Prone Chest Opener
Lie face down and extend one arm out to the side at shoulder height, then slowly roll onto that shoulder until you feel the stretch across the pectoral muscle. Alternate sides.
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Seated Chest Expansion
Sit tall at the edge of a chair with your hands against your head and elbows open. Keep your hands in contact with your head as you gently move your elbows and chest back, pinching your shoulder blades together until you feel a light stretch across the chest.
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Supine Chest Stretch
Lie on your back with a rolled towel lengthwise along your spine, extend your arms to the sides at shoulder height with palms up, and let gravity passively open your chest.
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Pec Minor Corner Stretch
Stand in a doorway with both forearms pressed against the frame at shoulder height, then lean your body forward until you feel the stretch across the upper chest and front shoulders.
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Child's Pose (Balasana)
Kneel and sit back toward your heels, extend your arms forward on the floor, and relax your forehead down while sinking your chest toward the ground.
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Open Book Stretch
Lie on your side with knees stacked and both arms forward at shoulder height, then rotate your top arm back to open your chest like a book while following your hand with your eyes.
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Wall Angels
Stand with your back flat against a wall, press your arms into a W shape, then slowly slide them above your head and back down while keeping your back and arms touching the wall.
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Seated Upper Back Hug
Sit upright, wrap both arms around your torso in a self-hug, and round your upper back while reaching your fingertips toward your shoulder blades.
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Standing Lat Stretch
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, reach one arm overhead and lean to the opposite side, feeling the stretch from your hip all the way up through the lat and shoulder. Alternate sides.
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Child's Pose with Lateral Arm Reach
From child's pose, walk both hands as far as possible to one side to create a crescent stretch in the opposite lat and shoulder, then switch sides.
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Doorway Hang Spine Decompression
Grip a sturdy doorframe or pull-up bar overhead, allow your body to hang with feet lightly on the floor, and let the spine passively decompress under your body weight.
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Gate Pose (Parighasana)
Kneel on one knee and extend the opposite leg straight out to the side, then reach the overhead arm in an arc over the extended leg to open the side body. Alternate sides.
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Crescent Lunge Side Bend
Come into a high lunge with both arms raised overhead, then lean both arms in an arc toward the side of the front leg while keeping your hips square forward. Alternate sides.
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Bicep Wall Stretch
Stand next to a wall, place your palm flat on it behind you at shoulder height with thumb pointing up, and slowly rotate your body away until you feel the stretch in the bicep and chest. Alternate sides.
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Reverse Prayer Hands
Bring both hands behind your back, press palms together pointing fingers upward toward your spine, and hold to feel the stretch in the biceps, wrists, and forearms.
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Behind-the-Back Bicep Stretch
Interlace your fingers behind your back, straighten your arms, and lift your hands away from your body while expanding your chest forward.
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Floor Bicep Stretch
Sit on the floor with hands behind you, slowly walk your hands further back and straighten your arms to progressively deepen the bicep and anterior shoulder stretch.
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Overhead Tricep Stretch
Raise one arm overhead, bend the elbow so your hand drops behind your neck, and use the opposite hand to gently press the elbow back and down until you feel the stretch in your tricep. Alternate sides.
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Cross-Body Tricep Stretch
Bend one arm and place your hand toward your opposite shoulder blade, then use the other hand to press the back of the elbow further across your chest.
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Tricep Wall Fold Stretch
Face a wall and place both hands flat on it at shoulder height, then walk your feet back and fold your torso forward at right angles with arms straight to feel the shoulder and tricep stretch.
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Lying Tricep Stretch
Lie on your back, bring one arm up vertical and bend the elbow dropping your hand behind your head, then use the other hand to gently hold the elbow back.
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Tricep Reach-Back Stretch
Sit in a chair or stand tall, bend one arm behind your back with palm facing out, then use the opposite hand to gently press the elbow further back and down. Alternate sides.
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Eagle Arm Tricep Variation
Lift one arm and wrap both arms at the elbows, pressing the top elbow against the bottom arm, then lift both elbows together to feel the combined shoulder-blade and tricep stretch. Alternate sides.
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Floor Tricep Reach Stretch
Sit on your heels, extend one arm forward along the floor and walk the fingertips as far as possible while keeping the opposite hip back, feeling the shoulder and tricep lengthen.
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Reverse Prayer Forearm Stretch
Bring both hands in front of your body and press the backs of your hands together, working toward pressing palms together pointing fingers upward for the full forearm and wrist stretch.
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World's Greatest Stretch
Step into a deep lunge, place both hands inside the front foot, lower your back knee, then rotate the chest open by reaching the inside arm toward the ceiling and hold. Alternate sides.
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Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
From hands and knees, tuck toes under and lift hips toward the ceiling, straightening legs and pressing heels toward the floor to form an inverted V shape.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my shoulders feel tight after a day at the computer?
Sustained typing posture keeps the shoulders rolled forward and the upper trapezius in a low-grade contraction for hours. The pecs and front delts shorten; the rhomboids and mid-trap lengthen and go weak. Stretching the pecs and rotating the thoracic spine every 60–90 minutes is the simplest reset.
Should I stretch the rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff itself responds better to gentle activation than to aggressive stretching. The sleeper stretch (for internal rotation) and cross-body stretch are the two most-recommended cuff-specific mobilizations; both should be felt as a mild tension, not a sharp pinch. If you feel impingement (pain in a specific arc overhead), see our shoulder impingement page.
How long until shoulder stretching reduces stiffness?
For desk-related shoulder tightness, most people feel acute relief within minutes of stretching and lasting change in 2–4 weeks with daily 5-minute sessions. Persistent stiffness that doesn't improve in that window — especially overnight pain or loss of passive range — warrants evaluation by a healthcare provider.
Get guided audio, video, and a timer for every stretch with Body Fix free on iOS.
Download Body FixThis page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. See peer-reviewed sources for these recommendations, and always consult a qualified healthcare provider for new, severe, or persistent symptoms.