Stephanie Ridgway, a physical therapist from Birmingham, Alabama, shared a simple exercise on Instagram to help alleviate shoulder pain and improve strength and stability. The exercise involves using a ball held to a wall with a straight arm and “writing” the alphabet with your hand. Ridgway explained that this exercise works on shoulder stability and rotator cuff strength by activating and strengthening the small muscles around the shoulder joint.
She recommends doing the exercise almost daily, either standing or kneeling with your arm straight in front of you. By pushing a small ball into the wall and writing the alphabet on it, you can build stability in the shoulder. Ridgway suggested repeating the alphabet two to three times during the exercise. In addition to this exercise, she mentioned other helpful exercises for shoulder pain, such as standing weighted shoulder scaption, prone shoulder rows, banded horizontal abduction, and banded bilateral external rotation.
The Instagram post showcasing Ridgway’s exercise was well-received, with over 167,000 likes. Viewers were eager to try out the exercise, with many praising the idea of using the alphabet as a way to track repetitions without counting. Some commented on the versatility of the exercise, noting its potential for ankle rehab as well. Others shared their own experiences with shoulder pain, with one person attributing their relief from shoulder impingement to similar exercises recommended by their physical therapist.
Newsweek, where the story was originally covered, aims to challenge conventional wisdom and find connections in the search for common ground. By sharing unique exercises like Ridgway’s shoulder pain-relief technique, they strive to provide readers with valuable information and tips for improving their overall health and well-being. With the positive feedback received on social media, it is clear that simple yet effective exercises like this can make a significant difference in managing and alleviating common health issues like shoulder pain.
