Stinging shoulder pain, a frozen shoulder or waking up completely tense have become an unpleasant acquaintance for many people that they have to greet involuntarily time and again in their everyday lives. First comes the nasty ouch, then the protective posture begins, although no classic injury, as in sports, is present. It starts a vicious circle of movement restrictions, which weaken the shoulders and then in turn lead to even less movement, so as not to have to endure the pain of the weakened shoulders. How lying on the acupressure mat can help here and why nowadays almost all people we talk to have already made acquaintance with pain in the shoulder, we tell you today.
Shoulder pain on the right, shoulder pain on the left - why it hurts everywhere
The upright gait of humans, and thus the free movement of our upper limbs, comes with incredible opportunities as well as some challenges: unlike four-legged mammals, we do not distribute our weight between our front and hind legs, but balance our upper body upright on our hips. This posture has allowed us to develop a shoulder joint that is perfectly designed for maximum freedom of movement for climbing, carrying, pulling, throwing, pulling and pushing. The highlight? Nature relies on strong muscles to provide support, because the joint itself is more unstable than many people think.
What nature didn't count on, however, is that within just a few centuries, humans would evolve from versatile, active creatures with full use of their muscles to sofa, chair and desk stools that are mostly found sitting down, even when moving miles and miles. But why is this a problem? Couldn't less strain even mean that we are always fit and rested? Unfortunately, we thought wrong and ended up with shoulder pain... Find out why now!
Shoulder joint structure - lots of mobility, little support and sudden shoulder pain
You can imagine the shoulder joint as being similar to a golf ball with its tee (the small stand on which you place it before hitting it). In contrast to the hip joint, where the spherical end of the joint sits in a socket and could only slip out with really strong force in a healthy condition, the shoulder joint is very unstable. Similar to a golf ball, there is only a very small contact surface on which the spherical end of the joint balances. But why doesn't it slip away with every impact? This is where the really strong supporting muscles of the shoulder come into play.
Tearing, bumping, dislocating - this is how overloads and pain in the shoulder occur
The muscular support system of the shoulder is the secret of its success and at the same time its biggest Achilles' heel. The daily strain on our shoulder joint is rapidly decreasing. Where man used to carry heavy loads on his head and support them with his arms, climb rocks and trees, crawl under obstacles, reach out for fruit on a tree or shoot arrows, today there is primarily one thing: standing still.
In his book Pain Free Pete Egoscue vividly describes the current range of motion of our shoulders as "boxed in", i.e. restricted within a very small radius. This restriction can be imagined as a cube hanging in the air in front of our upper body. Our daily movements take place within this cube: from cutting vegetables to driving a car, buying tickets from a ticket machine, working on a computer or using a smartphone. And this is precisely where the problem lies.
Muscles that are not used atrophy. The mobility of the shoulder joint decreases significantly because the muscles around the shoulder joint no longer support it properly. Many people have experienced shoulder pain when lifting their arm or a frozen shoulder as a result of this permanent restriction of movement. Without really realizing it, we adopt a massively restricted posture. No problem if we only perform movements with our shoulder joint within our cube anyway, right? Unfortunately, it is, because as soon as any demands are placed on the shoulder area that go beyond this imaginary box, this often has massive consequences.
A stumble on the stairs with catching by the arms, a happy lifting of the toddler over the head, a jubilant pulling up of the arms at the success of the favorite sports team or holding a bicycle on edge in the elevator - countless movements in everyday life tear us spontaneously out of the usual box and thus cause overload or injury to the weakened musculature.
What helps against shoulder pain? 5 exercises for home
One thing in particular helps to relieve shoulder pain in everyday life: restoring the ability to bear weight, i.e. doing sports that utilize the full range of motion. But there is also a lot you can do to relieve pain. If your shoulder shows symptoms of an injury, for example during sport, or if you suffer from chronic shoulder pain, we recommend that you speak to a medical professional you trust before trying any exercises yourself.
Pat on the back until it hums
Close your right hand into a fist and tap the entire area of the upper shoulder muscles from the wrist as hard as you feel comfortable. Then repeat on the other side. Now loosely circle your shoulders back a few times. The tissue should feel like it is humming or vibrating after you have tapped vigorously. You may find that your shoulder pain decreases briefly during the exercise, but then returns after a short time. This is a good sign that the exercise can be helpful for you. Repeat the exercise as often as is comfortable for you. You can either do this exercise yourself or with help. If someone else lends you their hands, then dare to say how firmly you feel comfortable. Firm tapping is often necessary to have a helpful effect.
Shoulder massage with your own hands
Pull your right hand back and down over your left shoulder. Firmly grasp the area where the shoulder pain is located. If you circle your shoulder, you will notice that a muscle is moving there that you can easily feel. This is the trapezius muscle in your shoulder - you can press firmly under it with your fingertips as if you wanted to hook yourself under the muscle. Now make a shaking movement as if you wanted to drive under the muscle with a rake. Don't forget to breathe - the exercise can be quite tiring. Pro tip: Lie on the acupressure mat before and after the exercise to combat shoulder pain!
Shake out shoulder joint
Stand up straight and place your feet hip-width apart. Now let yourself fall forward and let your upper body hang down. Shake yourself vigorously as if you wanted to shake something out of your hair and let your arms swing around loosely. Now straighten up and shake out your shoulders by pulling them up again and again and then letting them fall loosely. You can let your arms flap around uncontrollably as if you were a bird gone mad with broken wings. The important thing is to keep the exercise relaxed. Do it for as long as you feel comfortable and then let yourself hang down again as you did at the beginning.
An exercise for yogis with shoulder pain
If you feel like it, you can now go to the floor for the last exercise: The aim of our exercise is to use the body's own weight to press on the acupressure points on the shoulders. Very important: don't forget to breathe and lie down on the Shakti Mat beforehand, as this will relieve the shoulder pain a little and make it easier for you to let go during the exercise itself. First lie on your back. Now bend your knees and place the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Next, stretch your arms above your head and place them on the floor (they don't have to be stretched out, just relaxed). Now take a deep breath and lift your pelvis off the floor and into the air. Stay here for a few seconds and exhale strongly and calmly as you lower your pelvis back to the floor. Now start again: inhale as you raise the pelvis and exhale as you lower it. Finally, stretch out for a long time, take another deep breath and let go of the shoulder pain in your mind.
The best 4 acupressure points for shoulder pain
Acupressure helps many people with pain caused by tension. Which useful points you can press for shoulder pain, we have compiled for you below.
DW 15 press, a relief!
Place both hands on your shoulders and push them down as far as you can so that your fingertips can feel the upper part of your shoulder blade. Now look for tense areas in the tissue above the shoulder blade. If you feel one (you can tell because it hurts), press firmly with your fingers curled and let the weight of your arms sink forward loosely at the same time. Breathe deeply for one minute.
Hold the points GB 21 and Di 14 at the same time
Position the index, middle and ring fingers of the right hand on top of the shoulder muscle of the left shoulder and press where you feel a painful tension. At the same time, with the same fingers on the left hand, feel on the outer surface of the upper arm (about a third of the way between the shoulder & elbow) for a firm muscle strand that also often hurts when pressed. Hold both points with strong fingers and again breathe deeply for one minute.
Putting pressure on GB 20
Use your thumbs to find the indentations under the base of your skull at the back of your head. If you can't do this with your thumbs, you can also use your index and middle fingers. Close your eyes and slowly tilt your head back while pressing firmly into the hollow under your skull. Breathe very slowly and deeply as you relax into this position. After about a minute, you can lower your head again and slowly release the pressure from your fingers. Be careful not to clench your teeth during the exercise.
Prevent shoulder pain at night with the Shakti Mat acupressure mat
Anyone who sleeps on their side at night, perhaps with one arm under their head, the Pillow or wrapped around a child, will be familiar with waking up like this: pain in the side of the neck and shoulder dominates the morning or shoulder pain is also noticeable during the rest of the day when at rest. You constantly feel the need to stretch your neck or pull your shoulder back, but nothing really helps against the nasty shoulder pain after sleeping.
Many Shakti fans tell us that the acupressure mat literally dispels sorrow and worries in the evening and morning. As soon as you lie on it, the tips of the Shakti Mat press firmly into the upper layer of skin. This triggers increased blood circulation and the body's self-healing powers can be activated. For many people, this leads to a relaxation of the muscles, which in turn ensures that the stimulated blood circulation can now also penetrate into the deeper muscle layers. The body's nutrient supply system, which functions via many small vessels, can work better again around the relaxed and perfused muscle. The removal of excess substances in the tissue, such as deposits, is also facilitated again.
The best exercise for shoulder pain after sleeping:
Place the Shakti Mat acupressure mat in your bed and roll a towel under the top end of the mat. Alternatively, you can also position the Shakti Pillow at the top end of the mat. Now lie on the mat with your upper body bare or wearing a thin shirt; you should be able to feel the tips well in your entire upper back and neck. If you have a wider upper body, we recommend turning the mat crosswise so that your shoulders are really fully supported. Now close your eyes for five to 10 minutes and let the tips do their work vigorously. To counteract the initial pain, you can listen to a radio play, turn on some music or simply breathe deeply. After a short time, the pain is replaced by a warm tingling sensation for most people - the powerful blood circulation described above begins.
How Shakti Mat helps with back shoulder pain & co. - Testimonials
Many of our Shakti fans tell us about their journey with the mat via message or review. Also and especially shoulder pain is a topic that moves our community and is addressed again and again.
Elke A. tells us about her experience with the Shakti Mat Original: "Absolute feel-good effect: it is as described, the body gets used to the initial pain. I now use it every day by lying on it and it feels so good. My shoulder pain hasn't completely disappeared yet, but after 20, sometimes even 30 minutes of Shakti Mat, the tension calms down. I'm now practicing standing on it for longer, as I'm probably more sensitive. I've already recommended it to others."
Marion M. reveals: "Why not earlier? After trying out different options (with a T-shirt, without... a mat across the shoulder area, etc.) during the familiarization period, I am still delighted with the effect of the mat. My shoulder pain is finally starting to ease. Physiotherapists and osteopaths have not been able to achieve this. So I continue to use the mat every day! I find it reassuring that the mat production supports people and is made by hand."
Beatrice G. also had a good experience: "I love it... I had the Shakti Mat saved in my browser for several weeks, but I wasn't sure whether I wanted to spend so much money without knowing whether it was right for me... Then a colleague recommended the Shakti Mat to me - without knowing about my plans - because I was complaining about sleep problems and shoulder pain... So I clicked on "order" and had the mat at home two days later... Even though it took some effort at first, I love my Shakti Mat and am glad I bought the original... I actually sleep better afterwards and my shoulder pain is almost non-existent... I've actually fallen asleep on it a few times... The Shakti Mat was a great investment and with a clear conscience."
And finally, a very personal report from Angelika: F. "My husband and I are struggling with a number of illnesses and are very grateful that we are already feeling much better in some areas thanks to the mat! My severe sleep disorders have improved a lot and the Shakti Mat helps me to wind down and switch off in the evening. At the moment, I'm particularly glad to have it - as some of you may have noticed, a curfew has been imposed in Tyrol due to the coronavirus, which means you should only go outside if it's absolutely necessary. Which also means only going to the doctor in very, very urgent cases. I've just had a severe flare-up of osteoarthritis and a nasty inflammation in my shoulder - very unpleasant for me, but of course not an emergency for the completely overloaded doctors' surgeries. I have spent the last two nights almost exclusively on the mat because the pain at rest is always the worst for me. The Shakti Mat helps immensely because the pleasant pain that emanates from the tips distracts me from the pain in my joints. I would love to wrap myself in the spikes."
Let's not let strain, shoulder & weakness go hand in hand anymore! A conclusion
The causes of shoulder pain, frozen shoulder and restricted mobility of the shoulder joint are usually the result of the way we go through life. This is precisely where we should start, because a one-off exercise or one that is only used in the event of pain will not give the body what it needs for a pain-free life in the long term. An example: If you feel pain in your left arm and shoulder every day, you won't even do the exercises mentioned above and suddenly experience a miracle cure. The body grows and heals with its stresses. What is required is prioritized and made possible. So it is the frequency of the exercises, the continuous strain and the constant awareness of whether we have been in our restricted box for weeks on end that will ensure long-term improvement.
Despite the need to take action yourself, we would like to remind you that extreme shoulder pain, inflammation of the shoulder or problems with the joint capsule are best dealt with by a doctor. Imaging procedures and specialist advice can help you to take the right path to a pain-free life. Severe shoulder pain doesn't have to be part of everyday life and you can control the symptoms yourself more often than you think. Declare war on shoulder pain by strengthening your muscles and relieving tension. Get professional help if you have an injury and take the symptoms your body shows you seriously. Then you'll be on the right track.
If you would like to discuss the topics of shoulder pain and exercises for shoulder pain with acupressure or acupressure mats and give others who are struggling with shoulder pain tips or ask questions, visit us in our Facebook community.
Sources for this article on shoulder pain:
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Egoscue, Pete: Pain Free. A revolutionary method for stopping chronic pain, Bentam, New York 2021, p. 282 ff.
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Ferriss, Timothy: Der 4 Stunden Körper. 4th edition, Riemann, Munich 2011 p. 225 f.,
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Reed Gach, Michael: Healing Points. Acupressure for the self-treatment of diseases. Knaur, Munich 1992. p 325 f.