The exercises on this page were specifically chosen for individuals who experience chronic pain (Lorig et al., 2020).

Shoulder

Pendulum Swings

Image of female performing pendulum swings for her shoulder while leaning on a low cabinet for support.
Image of female performing pendulum swings for her shoulder while leaning on a low cabinet for support.
Image of female performing pendulum swings for her shoulder while leaning on a low cabinet for support.

Pictured: Pendulum swings in preparation for doing her hair which requires her arms be at or above shoulder height.

Description: Stand with your unaffected arm and hand leaning on a table, couch, or other surface with your affected arm hanging down in front of you. Move your body including your hips and legs in a circular, forward to backward, or side to side motion. Allow your affected arm to swing with the movement. Make sure you are not using your arm and shoulder muscles to purposely move your arm. It is helpful to pretend that your affected arm cannot move by itself while completing this exercise.

Make it Easier: Just pick one direction to move whether that is forward and backward or side to side.

Make it Harder: Increase the distance you are moving your body in each direction, still without using your shoulder muscles.

Shoulder Shrugs

Image of a female stirring contents of a pot on the stove in the kitchen with her shoulders relaxed.
Image of a female stirring contents of a pot on the stove in the kitchen while completing shoulder shrugs.

Pictured: Shoulder shrugs while stirring soup on the stove and preparing a meal.

Description: While sitting or standing, start with your shoulders in a comfortable, neutral position. Lift your shoulders up as if they are going to touch your ears. Bring them back down as if your are driving your elbows to the surface beneath you. Repeat.

Make it Easier: Complete fewer repetitions. Decrease the distance you are moving your shoulders up and down.

Make it Harder: Complete more repetitions. Increase the distance you are moving your shoulders up and down.

Shoulder Circles

Image of a female completing shoulder circles while praying and sitting at a table during a church service.
Image of a female completing shoulder circles while praying and sitting at a table during a church service.
Image of a female completing shoulder circles while praying and sitting at a table during a church service.

Pictured: Shoulder circles while praying and attending an online church service.

Description: Start with your shoulders in a comfortable, neutral position. Move your shoulders in a forward circle by bringing them up, forward, down, backward, and back up. Then move your shoulders in a backward circle by bringing them up, backward, down, forward, and back up. Repeat.

Make it Easier: Just pick forward or backward circles to start with. Do one shoulder at a time.

Make it Harder: Try moving one shoulder forward while moving the other shoulder backward. Then switch.

Neck

Chin Tucks

Image of a female standing by the window birdwatching with her neck extended forward like a turtle while completing chin tucks.
Image of a female standing by the window birdwatching with her chin tucked into her body during chin tuck exercises.

Pictured: Chin tucks while watching birds out the window.

Description: Start with your neck and head in a comfortable, neutral position. Bring your chin forward towards the wall or window in front of you. Then bring it backward and tuck it in as if trying to make a double chin visible. Repeat.

Make it Easier: Sit while you complete this exercise. Reduce the distance you move your chin forward and backward.

Make it Harder: Increase the distance you move your chin forward and backward. Increase repetitions.

Back

Seated Cat Cows

Image of a female performing seated cat cow exercises while watching television with her back arched and her shoulders forward like a cat.
Image of a female performing seated cat cow exercises while watching television with her back arched the opposite direction and her shoulders back like a cow.

Pictured: Seated cat cows while watching a favorite television show or movie.

Description: While seated, start in a comfortable, neutral position demonstrating good posture. Arch your back by bringing your shoulders backward and your stomach forward as if trying to be like a cow. Then arch your back the opposite direction by bringing your shoulders forward and spine backward as if trying to be like a cat. Repeat.

Make it Easier: Complete slow, controlled repetitions. Take breaks.

Make it Harder: Try standing or kneeling while completing repetitions.

Back Stretch

Image of a female laying on her back with her knees bent and to the side while completing a back stretch and listening to the radio.
Image of a female laying on her back with her knees bent up towards her chest while completing a back stretch and listening to the radio.
Image of a female laying on her back with her knees bent and to the side while completing a back stretch and listening to the radio.

Pictured: Back stretch side to side after waking up while listening to the radio in preparation for getting out of bed.

Description: While laying on your back, bend your knees and bring them up toward your chest bending at the waist. Next, bring your knees to one side while keeping your back flat on the bed. Then, bring your knees to the other side. Complete in a rolling manner as far as is comfortable for you. Repeat.

Make it Easier: Decrease the distance you are rolling side to side. Use your arms as support on the bed.

Make it Harder: Increase the distance you are rolling side to side. Hold while on each side for a prolonged stretch.

Wrist

Flexion and Extension

Image of a female sitting with her arm out straight and her wrist bent so her fingers are pointing at the ground while completing a wrist flexion stretch and doing her makeup.
Image of a female sitting with her arm out straight and her wrist bent so her fingers are pointing at the ceiling while completing a wrist extension stretch and doing her makeup.

Pictured: Wrist flexion and extension in preparation for doing her makeup.

Description: Start with your wrist in a neutral position. Bring one arm straight in front of you and flex your wrist so your fingers are pointing down to the floor. Next, extend your wrist so your fingers are pointing up to the ceiling. Repeat. Complete on other side.

Make it Easier: Bend your elbow to make it easier to also bend your wrist. Prop your arm up on a table or other flat surface.

Make it Harder: Complete while standing. Hold the stretch longer.

References

Lorig, K., Sobel, D., Laurent, D., Minor, M., González, V., & Gecht-Silver, M. (2020). Living a healthy life with chronic conditions: Self-management of health disease, arthritis, diabetes, depression, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and other physical and mental health conditions (5th ed.). Bull Publishing Company.