How to give a sore shoulder the elbow

APAINFUL shoulder can make life pretty miserable. Just reaching up to take something off a shelf, pushing or pulling open a door or even shaking hands can suddenly become agony.

And these injuries aren’t just suffered by sporty types: a quarter of over-50s will have a problem with a shoulder at some point, leading to discomfort and immobility. Why is it so common? Well, for a start, the basic anatomy of the shoulder, which gives us such a fantastic range of motion in the arms, also makes the joint vulnerable.

The shoulder is a shallow balland-socket joint. It is surrounded by a sheath of muscles and tendons known as the rotator cuff, and a cuff of cartilage called the labrum forms a cup for the ball-like head of the humerus to fit into.

Damage, inflammation or wear and tear to any of these parts can cause a wide range of conditions.

The good news is that there are some simple exercises you can do that will give relief, aid recovery and make sure your shoulders stay in tip-top condition for as long as possible.

You can do them anywhere, without fancy gym equipment.

Give them a go: after a month, you should feel less pain and also physically stronger in the shoulders. You’ll also notice your upper back and neck feels looser and more mobile. To do these exercises effectively, I recommend investing in a Thera Band – a stretchy loop of rubber that can be used in all sorts of ways. They come in different thicknesses and are graded by ‘resistance’ – or how hard they are to stretch – and can be purchased for under £10 from a wide range of websites and sport shops. I recommend a low resistance band to start with.