@drjoedamiani: 🔥 Chronic shoulder pain when reaching behind your back or out to the side? Your JOINT CAPSULE might be the missing piece! If you've been stretching and strengthening your shoulder muscles but still experience pain when reaching for your seatbelt, putting on a jacket, or reaching overhead, the problem may not be just your muscles. 💡 Here's what's happening: ⚡ Your shoulder joint capsule is a layer of connective tissue that surrounds and helps stabilize your shoulder joint while allowing it to move. ⚡ When the capsule becomes restricted, certain movements like reaching backward, rotating your arm, or lifting it can become stiff and painful. ⚡ The capsule contains sensory nerves, meaning irritation or excessive tension in this area can contribute to discomfort during shoulder movement. This is why strengthening your muscles alone may not fully address certain shoulder mobility restrictions. 🛠️ Try these 3 shoulder capsule mobility exercises: ✅ STEP 1: POSTERIOR CAPSULE STRETCH Lie on your painful side with your shoulder and elbow bent. Gently guide your forearm downward toward the floor. Hold for 5 seconds, release, and repeat 10–20 times. ✅ STEP 2: EXTERNAL ROTATION WITH A DOWEL Position your arm with your elbow bent and use a dowel or broomstick to gently guide your arm backward into external rotation. Hold for 5 seconds, release, and repeat 10–20 times. ✅ STEP 3: ANTERIOR CAPSULE STRETCH Place your arm on the back of a chair at chest height. Slowly shift your body forward until you feel a comfortable stretch through the front of your shoulder, then return to your starting position and repeat. 🔥 Why this matters: If your shoulder joint isn't moving freely, the surrounding muscles may compensate, making everyday movements feel more difficult or uncomfortable. These exercises can help improve shoulder mobility, although pain with these movements doesn't necessarily mean your capsule is tight. Work into gentle stiffness rather than forcing through sharp pain. #ShoulderPain #ShoulderMobility #ShoulderStiffness #PhysicalTherapy #ShoulderExercises

Dr. Joe Damiani, DPT

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Wednesday 21 October 2026 12:00:00 GMT