Suffering From Arthritis Of The Shoulder? Here Are Some Great Exercises To Ease The Pain

Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the shoulder joints as well. Shoulder arthritis causes inflammation in the joints as well as damage the cartilage inside the shoulder. Shoulder arthritis primarily occurs with advancing age. Generally, it is seen in people over 50; however, young people can also develop arthritis after a trauma or other injuries to the shoulder such as infection, dislocations or fractures. Arthritis can be genetic as well; which means it runs in the family. The most common symptom of shoulder arthritis is pain which limits mobility. The pain worsens with activities, especially activities that require the arms to reach over the head. Arthritis of the G-H joint usually hurts in the back of the shoulder,on the other hand A-C arthritis hurts mostly on "top" of the shoulder at the end of the collar bone.

Generally, shoulder arthritis is seen in people over 50
Photo Credit: iStock

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Here are some exercises for shoulder arthritis:

1. Cycling: Cycling is one of the effective exercises when you have shoulder arthritis. If you ride your bike outdoors or use a stationary bike inside, make sure the handlebars are at an appropriate level. If they are too low, you will end up putting more strain on your shoulder joints. Try a recumbent bike without handlebars for indoor cycling. This places more focus on your legs. Hybrid bicycles are the best options for outdoors. That is because of the higher handlebar placement and upright sitting position.

2. Door presses: Door press exercises can help strengthen your shoulder joints and muscles. For this, you need to stand in a doorway and bend one elbow into a right angle with the thumb on that hand pointing towards the ceiling. Press the back of your wrist into the door frame. You should do this for at least ten seconds. Then, repeat with the palm of your hand, using the other side of the door frame.

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3. Push ups: Yes, you can do push ups with shoulder arthritis and it is perhaps one of the best all-around exercises. Although, you would have to do it with some modifications. Push ups work muscles in your upper body and core thereby increasing your metabolic rate. Consider wall push ups instead of pushing away the floor. In this way it can ensure better alignment and less strain on the shoulder. Perform this two to three times a day. If you don't experience any pain you can increase the pain. You should not have pain at any time while doing push ups.

Some tips to keep in mind while exercising:

• Warm up before doing any exercise is very essential. It will help stimulate blood flow around the body. A warm up might include a brisk ten-minute walk or any aerobic activity
•  It is possible to feel a stretch in the shoulders while doing these exercises, but they should not be painful. If a particular motion hurts, you should stop doing it right away
•  For some people push ups or weight training might be intense, therefore do some light   exercises
•  Certain postures or stretches might be painful therefore, you should be mindful while   doing these exercises

Also read: 4 Exercises That Will Help Widen Your Shoulders

You should be mindful while doing these shoulder exercises
Photo Credit: iStock

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.