Hanging For Health: Shoulder Mobility

Read Time: 4 mins ⏱️

• Why Hanging Works 🐒

• Can’t Hang? Try This Instead

• Members' / Community Highlights 🏆

• Lincs Injury Weekly Round Up!

Welcome back 🫡

Our ancestors spent a lot of time hanging and swinging, and our shoulders are still designed for it. 🐒

It’s one of the most natural movements for your shoulders, yet it’s often overlooked in modern fitness routines, and as a general movement.

Why Hanging Works 🐒

When you hang, it creates space in the shoulder joint, which can reduce compression and relieve shoulder tension.

This reduces the risk of Frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement, stiffness, reduced strength.

How to Start Hanging

If you're not at the gym, look for these easy places to hang:

• Playground monkey bars

• Doorway pull-up bar / Wall Attachment Pull Up Bar (less than £20!)

• A sturdy tree branch 🌳

If you're ready to give it a go, here are some simple tips:

• Adapt The Intensity: Use a stool or step, or a large resistance band to take some weight off and make it easier on your grip, then build up to your body weight (or maybe plus your body weight!)

• Find Your Grip: Play around with different hand positions—shoulder-width, overhand, or underhand. Find what feels best for you. 👌

• Active vs. Passive Shoulders: Alternate between pulling your shoulder blades down and letting them relax. Both are useful for improving shoulder mobility.

• Release Tension: As you hang, focus on releasing tension in your shoulders, allowing your spine to lengthen and your body to relax. 🧘‍♀️

Can’t Hang? Try This Instead

If hanging is tough, you can still get the benefits by standing with your arm straight and pulling your body gently away from your shoulder.

Imagine you're trying to "stretch" the space between your shoulder and the rest of your body. This is a great alternative that helps improve shoulder mobility and strength. 💪

Want to Level Up?

Once you’re comfortable, try adding a slight swing or bringing your knees up into a sitting position.

You can even play with reaching side to side, single arm, or adding weight. 🙌

Members' / Community Highlights 🏆

Janice Meredith has completed her half marathon, despite a last minute injury, she ‘jeffed’ all the way and stuck to the plan.

She is extremely proud and has raised over the £500 target for Swallows Nest PreSchool

Let us know what you’re up to—and you may get a special mention in our next edition, send us your photos and stories! 📸

We’re so proud of everyone’s hard work and achievements.

Keep pushing, keep striving, and remember, every step forward is a win!

Emma and The Lincs Injury Team x

P.S. Hope you found this helpful! Keep those shoulders happy and healthy. 😊

Lincs Injury Weekly Round Up!

Packed with handy tips and valuable information to help you stay healthy and well.

No spam, just helpful advice you can share with friends and family!

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We’re always working to enhance the knowledge and services we offer, giving more of ourselves to you.

We’d love to hear from you—if you have any questions or ideas about what you’d like to see in future updates, just let us know! 💬

Lincs Injury Team x