Name: Playbook - Dr. Caleb Burgess - Overhead Shoulder Mobility - Level 2
Uploaded: 2024-04-19T04:48:15.243Z
Duration: 15 min
Description: Overhead Shoulder Mobility - Level 2

Mohammed

This is LEVEL 2 of a multi-part series to help improve Overhead Shoulder Mobility.

These exercises are designed to help you improve your ability to reach overhead, especially if you are limited by stiffness at the shoulder that is keeping  you from getting there.

The exercises shown here are meant to improve upper back mobility (thoracic spine extension and rotation), glenohumeral joint (shoulder) flexion mobility, and scapular (shoulder blade) upward rotation and posterior tilt mobility, all helpful in the abilit y to reach overhead.

When you feel like the exercises are not as challenging or you need a further push to continue to improve, progress to LEVEL 3 (coming soon).

- Hold 5 sec per rep
- Rest as needed between sides

Set up:
- Lay on your side with your head supported by a pillow (not shown in video)
- Your top arm hand should resting out in front and your bottom arm hand should hold down on the outside of the top thigh near the knee

Movement:
- Slowly rotate the top shoulder and arm/had backward and down toward the ground as far as you can, following the hand with the eyes, to feel a stretch in the middle to upper back

Tips:
- The bottom hand is meant to "tack down" the thighs in place so that the pelvis does not rotate backward with the upper trunk, as this would diminish the effectiveness of the movement
- If you have neck or upper back irritation with the neck movement, try limited neck movement and focus more rotating the shoulder and upper back down toward the ground
- If you have shoulder irritation, don't reach back as far with the hand

Sidelying Thoracic Spine Rotation - Arm Extended (Open Book)

*Hold for 5 sec per rep

Set up:
- Hold a stick/dowel/broom/umbrella, etc in your hands with an underhand grip
- Make sure your forearms are parallel (or hands outside of elbows, like the letter "V")...your hands SHOULD NOT be inside of your elbows, forming the letter "A"
- Place your elbows on a bench/chair/box, etc and walk your knees back as shown

Movement:
- Rock your butt backwards toward your heels slowly while maintaining the position of your forearms (as described above), and drop your chest toward the ground while allowing the stick to move toward the back of your head
- Hold at the bottom for the prescribed time, then rock back forward before starting the next rep

Feel:
- You should feel a stretch or pressure in the upper/middle back, a stretch in the lats/armpit region, or a stretch in the under side of the shoulder

***If you feel a pinch in your shoulder with this, don't rock back as far!

Kneeling Bench Thoracic Extension Mobilization with Dowel

*Take 3 sec to lower
*Hold 2 sec at the bottom of each rep
*If you don't have a weighted bar, use a bag, a stick with an ankle weight, etc to achieve the same effect

Set up:
- Lay on your back (on bench or with your head on the edge of your bed with your knees bent and feet on floor)
- With a weighted object like a barbell (shown), start with your hands straight up toward the ceiling

Movement:
- Keep your arms straight and SLOWLY lower your hand toward the ground as far as it will go, hold for prescribed time, and then slowly bring it back up to the starting point
- Repeat for your prescribed repetitions

Supine Eccentric Shoulder Flexion - 2 Arms - Barbell

*Hold 3 sec at the top of each rep (reaching up with hand)
*Goal reps on on EACH side
*See video for detailed description

Rocked Back - Shoulder Flexion Roll and Lift - Alternating

Overhead Shoulder Mobility - Level 2

Shoulder Mobility - Start Here!

Superb method to judge shoulder mobility , even we get to know exactly which movement is restricted

sanchit

Great way to document starting point and progress.

Veron

Shoulder Mobility - Self Assessment

Shoulder External Rotation Mobility

Feel so good! I especially loved the push/extension on the wall. Thanks doc.

Yanick Julien

My shoulder mobility is very poor so this felt okay and a good way to start. 
Do I do only this body part per day?

Sally

Hi Doctor, I think the written directions might oppose your video demonstration for the hand sliding up the wall exercise. If I’m mistaken, my apologies. I can feel the exercises working well, thanks!

Andy

Overhead Shoulder Mobility - Level 1

Dealing with shoulder issues and I’m fully thankful I found you here!

Great, have tried different complicated mobility and stretching routines ones this is gentle and effective. Not long till I start on level 2

Overhead Shoulder Mobility - Level 2

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