Back to Living Real Change

Relieve shoulder stress in 60 seconds

Release tense shoulder muscles in one minute, whether you're at work or at home, with these simple tips.

"Our shoulders really carry a lot of tension," says Dennis Buttimer, a facilitator at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. "Let's get rid of some of that stress right now."

Move one:

  • Sit tall in your chair.
  • Bend your elbows and bring your fingertips to your shoulders.
  • Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, roll your shoulders forward as if you were drawing invisible circles with your elbows.
  • Reverse the circles and repeat in the opposite direction. You should feel the tension melting from your muscles.
  • Continue for about 30 to 45 seconds, breathing deeply.

"Your breath is so important," Buttimer says. "Just bringing your attention to your breath can be helpful."

Move two:

  • With your arms hanging by your sides, inhale as you draw your shoulders up toward your ears.
  • Exhale forcefully as you quickly drop your shoulders to their normal position.
  • Repeat twice more.

Repeat these two moves whenever you need to quickly release shoulder tension.

Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician? Save time, book online.

 

Keywords

Related Stories

Schedule your appointment online

Piedmont MyChart

Download Piedmont MyChart

  • Connect with your care team
  • See your test results
  • Request Rx refills
  • eCheck-in before you walk in 

Download the app today!

Get Piedmont MyChart on Google Play Get Piedmont Mychart on iTunes App Store