Stiff neck, shoulder strain or tight shoulders are a big concern for most of us. We might not notice but it can creep up when we sit for hours at the desk, carrying heavy backpacks or just squeezing phone between ear and shoulder on a long call. The soft tissue of the neck and shoulder hold a lot of stress for us. The time spends leaning on the gadgets, shoulder posturing, etc can lead to stiff shoulder muscles and pain. And this pain just keeps on increasing with hectic lifestyle and stress. It is time to take a break, stand up for a few minutes and practice some simple shoulder exercises to bring back your energy and shower some relief on your shoulders. Here are some easy and quick shoulder exercises by Dr Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Atmantan Wellness Centre, to release stress.

Shoulder rolls

To loosen your shoulders, increase flexibility and relieve the tension on the muscles – this is the first step! Imagine it to be the gateway to releasing stress and relaxing the shoulders. Stand in a comfortable position with your arms on your sides. Slowly move the shoulder blades up and gently push it backwards in a circular motion and then down. You need to only make tiny circles in backward motions taking 10 seconds for each round. Make 10 circles and then reverse the direction. The exercise helps with body posturing, relaxation, and release shoulder tension.