Towel Shoulder Stretch

Reaching behind your back, to tuck in a shirt, fasten a blouse or wash your back, is often the last movement to come back in frozen shoulder. The towel stretch uses your good arm to gently draw the stiff arm up behind your back. All it needs is a bath towel or a dupatta.

Written by Dr. V. B. Rajendra Prasad, MPT, licensed in the US and UK.

1. Hold a towel over one shoulder and the other end behind your back
2. Pull the towel up with the top hand to draw the lower hand up your back

How to do it

  1. 1

    Stand tall holding one end of a towel in your good hand. Lift that hand and drape the towel over the same shoulder, so it hangs down your back.

  2. 2

    Reach behind your back with the stiff arm and take hold of the lower end of the towel.

  3. 3

    Gently pull the towel upwards with the top hand, drawing the stiff hand up your back.

  4. 4

    Stop when you feel a stretch in the stiff shoulder, not sharp pain. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

  5. 5

    Let the stiff hand slide back down slowly, with control.

How many

5 repetitions, 2 to 3 times a day.

Common mistakes

Pulling hard or jerking. The stretch should be slow and gentle.

Leaning forward or twisting the body to get the hand higher. Stand tall.

Letting the stiff shoulder roll forward. Keep the chest open.

Forcing past sharp pain.

Make it easier

Without the towel, rest the back of the stiff hand on your buttock and slide it across and a little up your back, as far as is comfortable.

Make it harder

Hold for longer as the shoulder allows. Your physiotherapist will add stretches for turning the arm outwards and lifting it overhead.

Who it helps

Frozen shoulder, stiff stage
Difficulty reaching behind the back
Shoulder stiffness after injury (when allowed)
Stiffness while dressing and bathing

When to stop and check

In the early, very painful stage of frozen shoulder, stretching hard can flare the pain, so gentle movements such as the pendulum usually come first. After shoulder surgery, especially rotator cuff repair, do not do this stretch until your surgeon allows it. Stop if pain lasts more than an hour or two afterwards.

Not sure these are the right exercises for you? A physiotherapist can assess you on a video call and build a programme around your problem, guiding each exercise and correcting your form in live sessions.

Get a personal programme

Frequently asked questions

Why is reaching behind my back so hard with frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder tightens the joint capsule, and turning the arm inwards (internal rotation), the movement used to reach behind the back, is one of the most restricted. It is often the slowest movement to recover.
Can I use a dupatta instead of a towel?
Yes. A dupatta, a long cloth or an old belt works just as well. It only needs to be long enough to hang from your shoulder to your lower back.

Related

Online physiotherapy: Frozen ShoulderOnline physiotherapy: Shoulder Pain and Rotator CuffFrozen Shoulder Exercises: A Stage-by-Stage Recovery GuideShoulder pain self-check

More neck and shoulder exercises

Chin TuckShoulder Blade SqueezePendulum ExerciseWall Finger WalkWall SlideUpper Trapezius StretchAll exercises
Dr. Rajendra

Written by Dr. V. B. Rajendra Prasad, MPT. Licensed to practice in the US (NY state) and UK (HCPC).
20 years of clinical experience. About Dr. Rajendra