Yoga Postures that Lead to Healthy Shoulders

Shoulder pain is a common ailment for many adults. Shoulder problems are very common and often happen before you know it. The frustration of inadequate treatment and lingering pain can be debilitating. B.K.S. Iyengar has worked out a wonderful series of poses to help people with shoulder injuries to carefully heal them. Every person is unique, so the sequence and the ways to work the poses are adjusted to be appropriate for the individual. However, there are some common principles that can be followed to help improve, recover, or prevent shoulder pain. The shoulder is a shallow joint that provides 360 degrees of rotation, so the joint is vulnerable to being pushed too far. But in general, we are never warned of this fact, and many shoulder problems begin when people are in a competitive situation, trying to win instead of being cognizant of the ways to use their shoulders in a safe fashion. Iyengar yoga is very clear about how to proceed with arm and shoulder actions in the yoga postures. We start with how to hold the upper arm bone, or humerus, into the shoulder socket in the yoga posture, Tadasana, the Mountain Pose and the very first standing pose. The bone is inserted into the socket instead of distended, and the shoulder blade is in and moved down the back into the body to make a supportive wall on the back of the upper chest. The progress of the yoga posture depends on the individual’s alignment and the historical impacts to their fascial system in the arm or shoulder. For example, a strain or overuse in the biceps-side of the arm can change the balance in the shoulder in every movement the arm makes. So the work needs to be individually guided from that point by a qualified yoga instructor. First, apply the above actions in Urdhva Hastasana, the Upward Hands Pose, a yoga posture one does all one’s life. To start, standing in the above basic standing yoga posture, Tadasana, the arms are straightened, then raised parallel to the floor. Then, as Mr. Iyengar says, you re-pose. You check and re-set the insertion of the humerus into the shoulder joint. The bone has moved a bit, and those bits matter in the healing of a shoulder. The shoulder blade must be down and ‘glued’ into the back. Checking the arms for being parallel, one can proceed with awareness to bringing the arms overhead, or as far into that position as possible without strain. People are often surprised how a simple act of extending their arms up is no longer such an uncomplicated thing. By practicing this movement and yoga posture daily one can safely bring back much range of motion in the shoulder. Adding in action of the arms to the side and out parallel to the floor is another excellent builder of healthy shoulders. It is best to practice yoga postures with a certified teacher, since we all move from our imbalances and don’t really always understand how the actions need to be balanced. Another basic movement to heal the shoulders is to grasp one’s hands behind the back, or to grasp a towel or belt to give more space for the front shoulder, chest, and arm if they need it. The same straightening of the arm along with the above movements is surprisingly effective in creating space and freedom in the arms, chest and breathing. Such a simple thing – yet so powerful! The collar bones are broadened and lifted, along with the sternum. Next is Gomukhasana arms. The whole yoga posture of Gomukhasana, the Cow Face Pose, is much more complicated, but to adjust the movements of the arm actions of that pose yield great effects for the shoulders. One arm goes up as in the Urdhva Hastasana above, then bends, and you ‘pat yourself on the back.’ The action after setting up that position is to extend upward in the triceps while adding a wrapping of them inward towards the face, and to make the biceps move downward to the shoulder joint. By using a strap or towel to catch the hand, one can gain more leverage to safely open the movement in the arm and shoulder. You can do that action by itself, or add the other arm’s action, which is placing the down-arm forearm behind the waist, lifting the biceps and rolling the shoulder back, then raising the hand to eventually meet the other hand. Once that action is available, you can use the leverage of the hands working against each other to open the body. The last yoga posture for basic shoulder health is Garudasana, the Eagle Pose. An adjusted form of the arms-only part of the pose stretches the tops of the shoulder blades in the most delicious way! Since all of these poses need a teacher starting you out right, an excellent idea is to check in your area for a certified Iyengar teacher. Practicing yoga postures correctly will help lead to healthy shoulders that feel and function beautifully!