As you age, it’s common to feel tightness, stiffness, or even pain in your shoulders. You may hear other people complain about how they go downhill after they reach 40 years old. But you don’t have to accept living with discomfort. In fact, incorporating just a few targeted movements into your weekly routine can help you keep healthy shoulders that are strong and mobile. These exercises are simple, effective, and physical therapist-approved.
Here are 3 easy exercises for promoting shoulder health, improving range of motion, and maintaining strength to keep you having healthy shoulders after 40.
1. Lat Stretch
A tight lat muscle can silently sabotage shoulder mobility. When your lats are stiff, your shoulder joint can’t move freely. This often leads to poor posture, reduced overhead motion, and added strain on your rotator cuff.
To perform the lat stretch:
- Start in a kneeling position with your hands on a bench or sturdy surface.
- Sit your hips back and gently lower your chest toward the floor.
- Keep your thumbs pointing up as you sink into the stretch.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 2–3 times.
Be sure to breathe deeply throughout. Over time, this stretch helps unlock your full overhead range, making it easier to reach, lift, and move with ease. Moreover, it complements your routine by setting the stage for more active shoulder strengthening work.
Shoulder external rotation
To do this exercise correctly, make sure to keep your shoulder blade pinched back throughout the entire movement. Start with no weight if your shoulder is really hurting, otherwise start with 1 or 2 pounds.
Try 3 sets of 10 of these every other day, progressing to 3 sets of 15 as they get easier.
Once you can do 3 sets of 15 with only mild fatigue, then your next session you can add another pound and start at 3 sets of 10 again.
Shoulder Abduction
This exercise is a great way to build strength in the supraspinatus and deltoid muscles.
The supraspinatus is a key part of your rotator cuff and the deltoid is one of the larges muscles of the shoulder. Both of these are key to helping you reach overhead and throw.
Try to keep your elbows out to your side and not in front of your shoulders when you do this.
That makes you keep your chest open and keep some of your shoulder blade muscles active. Pause for 1 second at the top, then lower back down.
Start with 3 sets of 8 reps and a weight that is 5 pounds or less. If there is no pain, or it feels easy, you can increase the reps.
Once you can do 12 to 15 reps for all 3 sets, then you can add more weight.
Do this exercise 2 to 3 days a week to get the best response.
Take Care of Your Shoulders—Now and Later
It’s never too late to start taking care of your shoulders. With just 10–15 minutes a few times per week, these exercises can help you maintain your strength, flexibility, and confidence well into your 40s and beyond.
So don’t wait until pain stops you—be proactive. Start today and feel the difference that strong, healthy shoulders can make.
If this seems really overwhelming or you’ve tried it and something doesn’t feel right, we can help you! At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we’re experts at helping people build leg strength and can help you too.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to request an appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
What happens if you don’t build maintain healthy shoulders?
- You’re more likely to get hurt when playing sports like tennis or golf
- You have a tough time doing things like lifting overhead
- You end up with shoulder pain with everyday tasks because your shoulders aren’t strong enough.
Starting a program to maintain healthy shoulders can:
- Make playing sports safer and improve your performance
- Help you lift things into and out of your car easier
- Increase your strength and ability to live the active life you want
The exercises above are a great way to get started. They can help you get moving and living stronger.
But if you want an expert to listen to you and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist in Alexandria, Springfield, or Arlington, VA will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and capacity to do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to schedule your appointment and get started.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
