Video: Neck and shoulder exercises to relieve arthritis pain

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Posted: July 26, 2016

The second video in our four-part series shows exercises targeting arthritis pain and weakness in your neck and shoulders. Get the printable guide for these exercises. [embed title="Neck and shoulder exercises for arthritis"]https://youtu.be/6ppu58WAsto[/embed]

Range of motion exercises for neck and shoulder arthritis

Preview of neck and shoulder exercises download

Shoulder circles

Shrug both shoulders and roll them forward. Relax your shoulders and repeat forward circles 10 times. Switch directions and roll shoulders backward 10 times.

Neck rotation

Turn your head to the right as far as possible. Return to center and repeat on the left side. Return to center and tilt your head back as far as possible so your chin points toward the ceiling. Return to center and tilt your head down, bringing your chin toward your chest. Repeat the circuit 10 times.

Upward reaches

  • Extend your arms directly in front of you, then lift them overhead as high as possible and bring them back down.
  • Extend your arms 45 degrees in front of you, lift them overhead and bring them back down.
  • Extend your arms out to your sides, then lift them overhead and bring them back down.
Hold each upward reach for 3-5 seconds. Repeat the circuit 10 times.

Shoulder blade squeezes

With your arms at your sides and your elbows bent at 90 degrees, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Relax and repeat 10 times. [su_button url="/-/media/marshfieldclinic/images/shine365/2016/07/17224-000-Neck-and-Shoulder-Exercises-for-Arthritis.pdf" target="blank" background="#a50050" color="#ffffff" size="5" radius="5"]Download neck & shoulder exercises[/su_button]  

Know when to rest

"Range of motion exercises and low-impact activity shouldn't be painful," Marshfield Clinic physical therapist Alyssa Schroeder said. Some muscle soreness is normal. You can keep exercising through mild soreness. If your muscles are very sore, rest and reduce the intensity of your next workout. Stop exercising if you feel deep joint pain or bone-on-bone grinding. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist if you experience sharp pain while exercising.

Check out more arthritis exercises

Part 1: Hand exercises to relieve arthritis pain Part 3: Knee exercises to relieve arthritis pain Part 4: Ankle exercises for arthritis pain View all videos in this series: Watch on YouTube.