The shoulder blade (or scapula) is a triangular-shaped bone that you can find in the upper back. It is supported and surrounded by a complex muscle system that allows you to freely move your arms. However, if your shoulder blades get injured or stiff, it often limits your ability to use your arms. In this blog post, we talk about loosening up stiff shoulder blades.

Use a Ball

I want to share with you a quick technique to help you with your stiff shoulder blades. To do this, all you need is a firm ball. You can use a lacrosse ball or a mobility ball with some spikes on it. All you need to do is push the ball around your shoulder blades. Don't directly put it on the bone. That's not going to help you too much. But, if you work around the edges of your shoulder blades, you'll loosen up those muscles that are making them stiff. 

Choose the Appropriate Surface

If you feel pain that you can’t tolerate while doing this mobility exercise, then try doing it on a softer surface. If you have a shoulder injury or you experience pain in that particular area, then laying on a hard surface might be too much for you. In this case,  do it on a softer surface, such as a bed, couch, or something like a cushion. 

Usually, some people who want to do this technique to loosen up their stiff shoulder blades prefer to experience a lot of pressure. It allows them to lean into it as much as they want based on the hardness or softness of the surface you’ve chosen. 

How Does  It Work?

As you lie down on the floor with the ball underneath, find a spot that is a little bit tender. Once you’ve finally found it, stay there for a few counts and wait. After that, you’ll then notice the tension you feel starting to loosen and give you a little bit of comfort. Besides that, while staying in that position, you can move your arm in different directions and you will also see how it mobilizes your muscles so well. You can get different sensations and feel the tension being released and a little bit of comfort on your shoulders. 

I would usually do this for about 10 minutes. I know you are busy sometimes, but I highly encourage you to do this as part of your routine in taking care of your body. 

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