Which exercises help the shoulder?

That depends on whether mobility, strength, control or the interplay with the shoulder blade and rib cage primarily needs to be improved. Exercises are selected and taught accordingly; later, range of motion, weight and repetitions are adjusted independently.

Condition

Shoulder Pain

Individual shoulder treatment in Potsdam

Creating the conditions for you to lift, carry and use your arm freely and powerfully again – in everyday life, at work and in sport.

Shoulder pain often becomes noticeable during everyday movements: putting on a jacket, reaching into a shelf, lying on your side or raising your arm. In sport, pressing, pulling, throwing and overhead movements can become increasingly difficult. The arm is often used more cautiously, and the range of movement becomes smaller and smaller as a result.

The shoulder, however, is not a single joint working in isolation. The shoulder blade, rib cage, cervical spine, arm and trunk have to coordinate their movements with one another. That is why I examine which areas can do less, which structures are overloaded as a result, and how strength, mobility and control influence one another. This produces a personal map of your shoulder movement.

The goal is to use the arm naturally again: when getting dressed, sleeping, carrying, working and training. At the same time, you learn which movements help you and how to adapt loads or exercises on your own.

Freedom from pain

Sleeping, getting dressed and using the arm naturally again in everyday life.

Freedom of movement

Moving the arm overhead, to the side and behind the back – for example when washing your hair, getting dressed or reaching into a shelf.

Strength

Carrying groceries, lifting objects and moving weights safely and with confidence again.

Suppleness

Coordinating arm, shoulder blade and rib cage fluidly again, so that overhead movements feel light and natural.

Balance

Using both sides evenly again and transferring force from the trunk through the shoulder blade into the arm in a controlled way.

Performance

Swimming, throwing, climbing, playing tennis or strength training – with more security, strength and enjoyment of movement.

Is this right for me?

Who is the treatment suitable for?

The treatment is particularly aimed at people

who want to use their arm freely again when getting dressed, sleeping or working,
whose shoulder makes itself felt during training or overhead movements,
who want to load their shoulder naturally and with confidence again,
whose range of movement has become smaller over an extended period,
who want to regain their former strength after an injury or surgery,
who want to work actively on mobility, strength and control.

Typical situations

When does your shoulder make itself felt?

Perhaps you recognise yourself in one or more of these situations:

when putting on a jacket or jumper
when washing or combing your hair
when reaching behind your back
when sleeping on your side
when lifting and carrying
during overhead movements and overhead work
during bench presses, shoulder presses or pull-ups
when throwing, swimming or playing tennis
during quick or unexpected movements
after a previous injury or surgery

Understanding your situation

We look at which movements are difficult, where the shoulder loses strength and which tasks it should take on again.

Creating a personal map

The whole body is examined, with a particular focus on the shoulder joint, shoulder blade, rib cage, cervical spine, arm and trunk. This makes it possible to identify where movement or strength is lacking and what causes the shoulder to be overloaded during certain tasks.

Initiating targeted changes

The treatment can include manual techniques, fascial therapy and the build-up of mobility, strength and control. The measures are adapted to how the shoulder responds.

Becoming more independent

You receive specifically selected exercises and then learn to adjust range of motion, weight, intensity and number of repetitions independently to suit everyday life and sport.

A strongly irritated shoulder may temporarily need an adjustment. The goal, however, is to move the arm again as early as possible within a well-tolerated range and to build up load tolerance step by step.

This way, range of motion and strength should not decrease further, and the shoulder can be used naturally again in everyday life and sport.

When lying down, pressure and traction act on the shoulder for extended periods. At the same time, regular movement is missing. Fascia that is already disturbed or irritated can feel stiffer and less well hydrated during longer rest and additionally irritate sensitive structures. With healthy, resilient tissue, resting at night would normally not be a problem.

A different sleeping position can make the night more comfortable at first. The treatment, however, aims to create the conditions for the shoulder to tolerate different sleeping positions better again.

Yes. The cervical spine, shoulder blade and arm work together in many movements. Pain radiating from the neck can also make itself felt in the shoulder or arm.

What matters is an examination that distinguishes both areas while also taking their interactions into account.

That depends on whether mobility, strength, control or the interplay with the shoulder blade and rib cage primarily needs to be improved.

The exercises are therefore first selected and taught accordingly. Later, you learn to adjust range of motion, weight and repetitions on your own.

Training should be adapted so that it develops the shoulder without irritating it unnecessarily. Weight, grip, range of motion, tempo and number of repetitions can be changed. As a rough guide, the intensity during the activity and afterwards should ideally not rise above 3 out of 10.

If you are unsure, you should coordinate with a therapist or doctor.

After roughly four treatments, a change should be visible in a relevant movement – for example when getting dressed, sleeping, raising the arm or training. After that, it is reviewed which assumptions have been confirmed and how the further build-up will be shaped.