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Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Jump to Exercise and Advice section

Important Facts About Your Shoulder – Please Read

Here is a list of the main problems and concerns we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

• Pain and weakness at time of injury or shortly afterwards leading to a sudden loss of shoulder movement/ arm function
• Shoulder is significantly bruised and/ or swollen
• Shoulder and/ or surrounding soft tissue looks abnormal/deformed
• New lumps and bumps that appear after the trauma.

NOTE: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

• Sudden loss of active movement with or without pain
• Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as shoulder pain developed
• Heat, redness and/ or swelling of joint
• Fever and general feeling unwell at same time as shoulder pain developed
• Experiencing chest pain and / or difficulty breathing
• Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/ growing
• Constant pain which does not change with rest or activity
• Significant worsening night pain with or without night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss and/or previous history cancer
• Increasing numbers of joints that are painful and/or stiff
• Any unexplained tingling, numbness and pins and needles into shoulder and/or arm

Note: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, recent steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease including recent infection, Intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Shoulder Pain- Information and Exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information above about shoulder pain before proceeding.

Below are some exercises to help you get your shoulder moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

• Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe
• Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try
• The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.

Shoulder Information Leaflets

• Subacromial Pain ( 5 min read)
• Frozen Shoulder NHS Inform ( 3 min read)

Tips to manage a painful shoulder

Beginner-to-progressive shoulder exercises- leaflets and videos

• Exercises to treat Subacromial Shoulder Pain (Leaflet- 5 min read)
• Exercises for Shoulder Pain (Link to website with videos)
• Specific Exercises for Frozen Shoulder (Link to youtube video)

Additional exercise options

Rotator cuff (shoulder muscle group) exercise options

Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Important Facts About Your Neck Pain- Please read

Here are the main problems and concerns we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If symptoms are caused by a traumatic incident to your head and/ or neck (e.g. a fall or severe whiplash) please have this checked out by a health professional before commencing with an exercise program.

Note: If you have a known diagnosis of osteoporosis (low bone density) a small amount of force may cause problems that require medical assessment.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

If you feel any of these signs appear rapidly or over a longer period of time please have these checked out by a health professional. 

• Severe restriction in the movement of your neck and/ or head
• Changes in your balance and the way you are walking e.g. tripping, falling
• Weakness and/ or altered sensation into both arms and/ or legs at the same time
• Problems with coordination of upper and/ or lower limbs e.g. writing, getting dressed, walking
• Electric shocks sensations into both arms and legs on forward bending of your head or looking down
• Significant changes to bowel, bladder habits and/or sexual function required immediate medical assessment. Warning: Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES): This a rare but extremely serious spinal condition that requires immediate assessment. For further information on CES:
  • CES info leaflet
  • CES short video
  • CES information in other languages.
• New problems with talking, dizziness, swallowing or eyesight
• Fever or generally feeling unwell at same time as neck symptoms developed
• Constant pain which does not change with rest or activity
• Significant pain and/ or sweats at night
• A previous history of cancer and/ or unexplained weight loss
• Unexplained lumps or bumps that are changing/growing
• Increasing number of joints that are painful and/or stiff
• Severe headaches and/ or jaw pain.
  

Note: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, dental surgery or steroid injection. Previous spinal surgery. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease, recent infection, previous history of tuberculosis, intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Resources

Your general health and wellbeing are essential to enjoying life and can have a big impact on your MSK condition, on how it developed and also in helping you to manage it and prevent it from coming back. 

The NHSGGC Health Improvement site below is a good place to start if you are looking for something in particular, including advice about smoking, weight, literacy and physical activity. These resources are updated regularly.

The Health and Wellbeing directory allows you to search by topic, for example ‘alcohol’ and has a huge range of resources. For more of a national perspective, try NHS Inform. In addition, we have gathered some resources on a range of topics that may be helpful for you.

Resources

Links to Resource Libraries and Services

• Support and Information Service NHSGGC
• Health Improvement NHSGGC
• Healthy Living NHS Inform

Meeting Your Needs- Specific Topics

Other Resources

Self-help Management and Helpline Versus Arthritis

• Helpline,online community and arthritis virtual assistant

Mental Flourishing – Wellbeing, Stress, Anxiety and Depression

• Living Life To The Full – Online Courses For Low Mood, Stress & Resilience
• Breathing Space – Online Help & Confidential Phone Line
• Samaritans
• The Struggle To Switch – Video
• The Choice Point – Video

Being Present and Self Aware: Mindfulness

• Mindfulness Scotland
• Centre for healthy minds
• Oxford Mindfulness Centre

Being Kind to Yourself: Self Compassion

• Self Compassion Kristen Neff

Volunteering

• Volunteer Glasgow