How to Test Your Own Shoulder Mobility at Home (5 Simple Checks)

Mobility is how far a joint can move, and how easily it moves. Stiffness is the feeling of resistance. The two often go together, but not always.

Range of motion is one part of shoulder function. Rehab programs often start there, then add strength, then control and coordination [R16]. So a home check is useful for noticing change, not for deciding what is wrong.

• Exercise can improve range of motion and pain in middle-aged and older adults with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain [R04]. The finding is from the abstract, so treat it as a broad signal.
• Mobility, strength, body composition and posture are each associated with shoulder pain and disability in adults 60 and over. These are targets you can work on [R28].
• Frozen shoulder is a condition in which scar-like tissue in the joint capsule causes pain and loss of both active and passive movement [R18]. The idea that it always passes on its own is not supported. Untreated cases improved only partly after one to four years [R19].

Sit in a sturdy chair with your back supported. Do each check slowly, compare both sides, and stop at any sharp pain.

1. Overhead reach. Raise one arm straight up as far as feels comfortable. Notice where you feel the limit. Then try the other arm.
2. Hand behind the back. Bring one hand behind your lower back, palm out. See how far it can slide up toward the spine. Then do the other side.
3. Hand behind the head. Bend one elbow and place that hand on the back of your head. Notice whether the elbow stays level or drifts back.
4. Cross-body reach. Bring one arm across the front of your chest. Use the other hand to hold the elbow gently. Notice how far it comes.
5. Side lift. Lift one arm out to the side, slowly, as high as it comfortably goes. Notice any catch or arc of pain. Then do the other side.

Write down what you feel for each check: easy, tight or painful. Repeat the same checks each week at the same time of day. Changes over several weeks tell you more than one day does.

Once you know your seated baseline, you can repeat the checks standing. Keep a wall or counter nearby for balance.