Shoulder mobility is fundamental for many of life’s daily activities.
When rehabbing a shoulder injury (or post surgery) one of the first crucial goals is to improve both shoulder and and scapular (shoulder-blade) mobility. The Wall Slide Exercise can help to increase your shoulder stability and overall mobility. Wall Slides can be used to boost range of motion (ROM) in the shoulder joint while strengthening the shoulder girdle muscles.
A great exercise not only for those with a current shoulder injury, but also, an effective preventative movement for throwing athletes to maintain shoulder health.
To perform:
- Stand tall, feet hip width apart, using good posture.
- Keeping your arms shoulder width, firmly push your forearms against the foam roller. Make sure the foam roller is secure and will not loose contact with the wall.
- Slowly roll the foam roll up the wall as far as you can. Be careful not to force the movement or to push past your comfort level.
- Focus on not shrugging your shoulders during the movement, as well as, activating your shoulder girdle (upper back) and pectoralis (chest) muscles.
- The motion should be smooth. Your foam roller should remain in a horizontal position throughout the entire exercise.
Start with 2 sets of 5 to 10 repetitions, eventually working up to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.
Stop the exercise immediately if you experience sharp, shooting, or burning pain and contact Dr. Menke.
If you want to learn more about shoulder mobility, how to perform this exercise, or what conditions it may help contact Dr. Menke at (480) 393-9600 or schedule an appointment online today!