Tension and tightness in your shoulders is common symptom of anxiety and stress. It's part of your body's fight or flight stress response or its way of preparing to confront or survive a perceived physical threat.
Fortunately, shoulder pain from stress responds well to yoga, stretching and other relaxation methods.
Prolonged or increased levels of stress and anxiety can cause inflammation. This, in turn, may result in a stiff or "frozen" shoulder. Tension or stress can cause tightness when it gathers in our shoulders, and when this stress is sustained over a long period, it manifests as stiffness and pain.
If the cause of your frozen shoulder is anxiety, effective treatments will involve utilizing proven tools and techniques to address the stress in your life.
Stretching is one of the most effective ways to relieve tightness or tension in your shoulders. A stretch called "thread the needle" can help ease tension in your shoulders, as well as in your neck and back.
To perform this pose:
Developing stress management skills is one of the best things you can do to manage stress and anxiety — and, in some cases, alleviate shoulder pain.
Try reducing stress through techniques such as:
If your shoulder pain doesn't improve with self-care techniques such as stretching, follow up with a shoulder specialist as soon as possible.
To schedule an appointment with one of our shoulder doctors at Elite Sports Medicine + Orthopedics, you can book online or call us at one of our Franklin or Nashville locations today.
