Do You Have Stiff, Painful Parkinson’s Shoulders? Do This Easy Dowel Stretch

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is very common in people with Parkinson’s. This condition causes pain, stiffness, and loss of normal range of motion in the shoulder.

For people with Parkinson’s, frozen shoulder can come out of nowhere and slowly get worse if not treated. Often, a frozen, painful shoulder occurs because it has been immobilized for a long time by injury, surgery, or illness. Fortunately, the shoulder can usually be unfrozen! Full recovery takes time and a lot of home exercise.

Routinely encouraging your shoulders, shoulder blades, and spine to move is crucial to counteracting shoulder stiffness and pain.

Reaching your arms overhead is a complex movement, requiring the coordination of multiple parts of your skeleton. Your shoulder blade (scapula) and arm bone (humerus) must work together in a simultaneous, synchronized pattern.

Your shoulder blades should “glide and float” on your rib cage. If you have stooped posture, your shoulder blades can’t sit or glide normally on the ribs, causing pain in your upper back and shoulders.

Check out this video to see how to do this easy dowel stretch for Parkinson’s painful stiff muscles: 

Here are the steps to do this exercise. All you need is a 48-inch dowel, walking pole, or broom handle.

• Start by standing or sitting up tall, holding the stick horizontally about shoulder width apart. If you’re standing, make sure your feet are in a wide, stable stance.

• Lift the stick above your head. Stay tall. Try to keep the stick even.
• Stretch your arms up high by reaching and gliding your shoulder blades up your back. Avoiding shrugging your shoulders.

• Keeping your elbows straight the entire time, return to the starting position by allowing your shoulder blades to glide down your back.
• This whole movement will only be a few inches of lift and return.
• Staying within a pain-free range, repeat this movement 10 times.
• If you cannot straighten your arms over your head, do the modified version.

This is a great stretch either before your workout or at the end as a cool-down. Stay tuned for other stick stretches!

💜 Kimberly

P.S. Our Virtual Posture School is now in session!

Do you want to be a part of our Posture School, but live too far away to come to the Rebel Fit Club? Not a problem—we have Virtual Posture School!

There are many benefits to taking Posture School virtually:

• Classes are taught in an easy, step-by-step, building block process.
• You get a new workout five days a week for five weeks—that equals 25 workouts!
• You get to do it in your own home, so no need to miss out because you live too far away.
• You can ask a loved one to join you in the workouts.
• Workouts are recorded, so you pick the time of day that’s most convenient for you.
• You can also go back to previous workouts if one feels especially helpful.

** This course is for people who can get up and down from the ground easily and independently. If you are at high risk for falls, ask about our seated version of Posture School.

The introductory price for Virtual Posture School is just $49! Click here to purchase.