Tennis Ball Mobilization- Front of Shoulder
In this post I’m going to show you how to use the tennis ball to mobilize the muscles in the front of your shoulder. This includes the pec minor and major muscles, as well as, the deltoid, subscapularis (part of the rotator cuff) and long biceps muscle where it sneaks through to attach to the front of the shoulder. The goal with this mobilization is to anchor one end of the muscle down and then actively stretch out the rest of the muscle against it.
Key Points
1) Go back and read the massage post specifically on the front of the shoulder itself to review the body landmarks and muscles in this region. The primary area you will need to be able to locate for this mobilization is the major intersection area for the muscles in the front of the shoulder. To find it, place your hand on the front of your shoulder and then slide down approx 1-2 inches in the front. If you rotate your arm back and forth, you will feel the muscles move beneath it. That is how you know you’re on the right spot.
2) To perform this mobilization, you’re going to need your foam roller, a tennis ball, and some tape. The tape will hold the ball in position on the roller (so that it doesn’t roll or move) and give you a raised surface to work on so that you you can move the arm freely. You’ll see what I mean when you watch the video. To begin the mobilization, start by laying down on the roller with the ball positioned at the front intersection spot (you want it to be where the purple and blue muscles meet in the picture above). From here you will have two possible ways to move the arm. Start with the arm in close to the roller (like you’re hugging it) and then straighten the elbow and lift the arm out to the side. Remember, only go as far as you can comfortably. You’re not trying to force these! If this is too much or the spot is too tender, start with the arm straight and on the floor. From here simply rotate the arm the arm back and forth. See the video below for full details and demonstration.
3) Repeat for 10 reps.
4) Same warm up rules apply. Try to do this either following a workout or warm up the area with the foam roller first. Especially if you’re coming back from an injury or this is a problem area.
