Lift your arms to grab something off a shelf and your shoulder stiffens, grinds, and cracks. No part of that feeling makes you want to move your shoulder more. But that’s exactly what has to happen to help your shoulder function better and hurt less. There are many different forms of shoulder arthritis — from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis and others. No matter which type of shoulder arthritis you have, your doctor will recommend shoulder exercises as an important part of your shoulder arthritis treatment plan.
Here’s what’s happening in your shoulder when you have arthritis, and why exercising helps relieve pain and stiffness.
Source: Teresa Dumain
