The shoulder is an amazing structure in the shape of a ball and socket. The shoulder joint enables a wide range of movements, which are possible due to the many tendons, ligaments and muscles present in this region. A set of four important muscles, called the Rotator Cuff muscles are very crucial for shoulder stability because they act as the primary stabilizer, holding the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) securely within the shoulder socket, allowing for smooth movement and preventing dislocation while enabling a full range of motion in the shoulder joint. There are also small fluid filled sacs called ‘Bursa’ that act like cushions and reduce friction between bones.
All these body parts supporting the shoulder joint are prone to injury, so it’s helpful that we are educated on how to keep this vital joint pain free and mobile.
Our shoulders often get weak or injured due to various causes such as bearing the brunt of bad posture, long hours of sitting, stress or lack of movement, prolonged computer work, bad sleeping positions, Arthritis (Rheumatoid or Osteoarthritis), lack of use and ageing.
Our Shoulder joints are one of the most mobile joints in our body, but to continue to function well, they do need good care. To build strength and mobility in our shoulder joint we don’t require any fancy gym equipment or intense stretching. Surya Namaskar Yoga can be our answer.
* Use it or lose it’ is true for all body parts. The well worked out Surya Namaskar Poses are a very effective way of improving shoulder mobility.
*The Sun Salutation Exercise targets both the small and large muscles of the shoulder, which in turn also strengthens the important Rotator Cuff.
Regular practice of the Surya Namaskar helps us develop a good posture, preventing drooping shoulders.
Awareness on deep breathing while doing Sun Salutation improves the health of the lungs. This acts as an impetus for smokers to quit smoking, as smoking decreases blood flow to the Rotator Cuff, which would then damage shoulder stability.
Surya Namaskar has graceful, slow, arm stretching and mindful arm weight bearing actions, conducive to sensibly stimulating our shoulder joint and shoulder girdle (includes scapula/shoulder blade, Clavicle/collar bone and some joints). As opposed to this, sports which require very powerful arm actions, bear the danger of arm pain and arm strain.
Why Shoulder Mobility Matters
Our shoulders are involved in almost every upper-body movement. From lifting and reaching to pushing, pulling and even in breathing deeply, our shoulders are fully involved. So, if they are tight or restricted, it can lead to poor posture, muscle imbalances and even pain in the neck, back or arms. Conversely, when our shoulder joint is flexible and strong, our movements feel effortless, our workouts become more effective and our posture improves, which helps us look and feel more confident.
How Does Surya Namaskar Improve Shoulder Mobility
Surya Namaskar isn’t just a warm-up nor merely a spiritual practice it’s a full-body mobility drill that stretches, strengthens and opens up the use of shoulders with every posture. Below we are discussing the Sun Salutation poses and how they contribute in improving shoulder mobility and shoulder stability.
Prayer Pose/Pranamasana: This Sun Salutations first posture is with hands in a prayer position at the heart centre. Here we should engage the shoulder girdle and focus on rolling our shoulders back and down to counteract the incorrect forward hunch which happens due to excessive forward bending activities such as working at our desk, cooking, cleaning, talking on the phone and so on.
Raised Arms pose/Hasta Uttanasana: We inhale, sweeping our arms overhead, extending them fully and arching back. This stretches the shoulders, chest and upper back and helps to improve range of movement and ease of movement in the shoulder joint.
Hand To Feet pose/ Hastapadasana: In this standing forward bend, we require relaxing our shoulders to release tension. We allow our arms to dangle, so gravity can gently stretch the shoulder joints. As a variation we could clasp our opposite elbows for an even deeper release.
Equestrian Pose/ Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Here we step one leg far back, dropping it’s knee to floor, while our arms extend down with fingertips touching the floor, on either side of the front foot. This is a challenging posture where we need to keep the shoulders drawn back even though the posture is strongly pulling them forward. This effort will help us open up the front of the shoulder while stabilizing them in an extended position.
Downward Facing Dog Pose/ Adho Mukha Shavasana: This is perhaps the most dynamic pose for shoulder strength. Here we are in an inverted ‘V’ position, with the arms fully stretched. The weight is strongly distributed on our hands and feet and our arms and legs. The feeling is as though the wrists, arms and shoulders are supporting this entire posture. To hold the body steady in this position, the biceps and triceps strongly engage and contract. We can feel this happening. We need to keep our shoulders away from our ears, elongate the spine and allow the head and neck to relax towards the floor.
Salute With Eight Limbs Pose/ Ashtanga Namaskar: Here we are touching the ground with our hands and toes as well as our knees, chest and chin. In this posture we are supporting our body with our pectorals (chest muscles) and shoulder muscles. This builds shoulder stability and shoulder strength.
Cobra Pose/ Bhujangasana: As we slide our body forward and back, our shoulders naturally draw back and down. We should exaggerate this movement, pressing our shoulder blades also downwards in the back. This strengthens the rear deltoids and upper back muscles, promoting a more open chest, and trains the shoulders for an uplifted, graceful and functionally sound posture.
In my classes, once students are well versed with the Surya Namaskar Exercise, we often also add light weights (dumbbells) to further stimulate, challenge and strengthen the shoulder joint.
To Learn Surya Namaskar Yoga Online for improving shoulder mobility, join the sessions at Yoga with Sapna today!
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