Which shoulder does this stretch?

The lower one, on the arm gripping the stick behind your back. The top arm only drives the stick upward. To turn a raised arm outward instead, use the Stick Shoulder External Rotation Stretch.

How long should I hold it?

Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat 2 to 3 times per side. In a study of 20 healthy men, a static stretch with the shoulder extended and turned inward, the position the lower arm takes here, reduced infraspinatus stiffness once it had been held for 20 seconds or longer, while 10 seconds made no measurable difference.

How is this different from the towel version?

The Behind the Back Towel Shoulder Stretch uses a similar position, but both arms work against each other and the top arm is stretched overhead as well. The rigid stick lets the top hand guide the lower hand straight up the back, so the stretch stays mainly on the lower shoulder.

Where should I feel the stretch?

Most people feel it at the back, side or front of the lower shoulder, because the arm is both turned inward and taken behind the body. A sharp pinch at the front or top of the shoulder is not the stretch and is a reason to ease off.

Why can't I get my hand far up my back?

Reaching up the back depends on the shoulder blade and elbow as well as how far the shoulder turns inward, so a short reach is not always a sign of tight rotator cuff muscles. If one side stays clearly limited or painful, have a trainer or physical therapist check which part is restricted.

Stick Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretch

What Is the Stick Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretch?

Stick Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretch is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, lengthening the infraspinatus and teres minor at the back of the shoulder along with the deltoid. It is a beginner-level movement that uses a stick or dowel held upright along the spine: the lower hand grips it behind the hips, and the upper hand draws it upward so the lower arm is taken further into internal rotation.

Reaching behind the back is a combined movement. The shoulder extends and turns inward, the elbow bends and the shoulder blade tips forward, and this stretch works that whole position, the one used to tuck in a shirt, reach a back pocket or fasten clothing behind the back. The stick turns the other arm into the source of the stretch, so the shoulder being stretched can stay relaxed while the top hand sets how far the lower hand travels up the back.

It fits into shoulder mobility work, warm-ups and cool-downs, and it is a common choice for people whose hand-behind-back reach is tighter on one side, including overhead and throwing athletes, who often lose internal rotation in the throwing shoulder. Because the reach also depends on the shoulder blade and the elbow, a short reach does not always mean tight rotator cuff muscles, and a trainer or physical therapist can check which part is limited. The Sleeper Stretch works internal rotation with the arm in front at shoulder height and the Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch reaches the back of the shoulder with the arm drawn across the chest, so they pair well with this one.

Drawing the stick up stretches only the lower arm. Its companion, the Stick Shoulder External Rotation Stretch, uses a stick to turn a raised arm outward instead. The Behind the Back Towel Shoulder Stretch uses a similar position with a towel but spreads the stretch over both arms, including the top arm overhead, whereas the stick lets one arm do the work while the other relaxes.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Infraspinatus: Primary
Teres Minor: Primary
Deltoid: High
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Latissimus Dorsi: Low
Pectoralis Major: Low
Teres Major: Low
Upper Trapezius: Low
Serratus Anterior: Minimal

Instructions

Take a light stick or dowel long enough to reach from above your head to below your hips.
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, chest up and ribs down.
Raise the arm you are not stretching, bend the elbow so it points up, and hold the stick beside and slightly behind your head so it hangs down along your spine.
Reach the arm you are stretching behind your back, bend the elbow, and grip the stick near your hips with the back of your hand toward your body.
Relax the lower shoulder and keep it down, away from your ear.
Slowly draw the stick upward with the top hand so the lower hand slides up your back, and stop when you feel a gentle stretch in the lower shoulder.
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds while breathing steadily, keeping the trunk upright and square and the lower wrist straight.
Lower the stick slowly to release, repeat 2 to 3 times, then swap hands and stretch the other shoulder.

Common Mistakes

Yanking the stick
Pulling the stick up quickly or hard forces the lower shoulder past its comfortable range and can irritate the front of the joint.
Leaning forward
Bending forward or rounding the upper back lets the hand climb higher without the shoulder turning any further, which takes the stretch off the shoulder.
Twisting the trunk
Turning the chest toward the stretched side shortcuts the rotation instead of stretching it.
Bending the wrist
Hooking or curling the lower wrist lets the hand move up the back while the shoulder stays where it was.
Shrugging the lower shoulder
Hiking the stretched shoulder toward the ear tenses the neck and top of the shoulder and makes it harder to relax into the stretch.
Stretching into a pinch
Treating a sharp pinch at the front or top of the shoulder as part of the stretch risks irritating the rotator cuff or AC joint.

Injuries

Stick Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. There is no external load and you control the range, but the top arm pulls with a lot of leverage, and the lower shoulder ends in a combined position of extension and internal rotation that leaves the rotator cuff in a weak position to protect the joint. Almost every problem comes from forcing that end range.

The front and top of the lower shoulder are where trouble shows up. A broad pull across the back, side or front of the shoulder is the stretch; a sharp pinch at the front or top of the shoulder is not, and can come from an irritated rotator cuff tendon, bursa or AC joint that gets worse if you push through it. Draw the stick up slowly, stop at a gentle stretch, keep the trunk upright so the shoulder does the moving, and stretch after a warm-up or at the end of a session rather than cold.

To make it easier, start with the lower hand low on the stick near the hips and move it only a short way up the back. If the end position stays uncomfortable, the Sleeper Stretch and Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch reach the back of the shoulder from other positions. To progress, let the lower hand climb a little higher over weeks of regular practice, not by pulling harder in one session.

Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain, pain that lingers after the stretch, or numbness or tingling in the arm or hand. Anyone recovering from shoulder surgery, a dislocation, a rotator cuff tear or a frozen shoulder should follow their clinician's guidance on how far and how often to stretch.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Other
Modality: Stretching
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which shoulder does this stretch?: The lower one, on the arm gripping the stick behind your back. The top arm only drives the stick upward. To turn a raised arm outward instead, use the Stick Shoulder External Rotation Stretch.
Q: How long should I hold it?: Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat 2 to 3 times per side. In a study of 20 healthy men, a static stretch with the shoulder extended and turned inward, the position the lower arm takes here, reduced infraspinatus stiffness once it had been held for 20 seconds or longer, while 10 seconds made no measurable difference.
Q: How is this different from the towel version?: The Behind the Back Towel Shoulder Stretch uses a similar position, but both arms work against each other and the top arm is stretched overhead as well. The rigid stick lets the top hand guide the lower hand straight up the back, so the stretch stays mainly on the lower shoulder.
Q: Where should I feel the stretch?: Most people feel it at the back, side or front of the lower shoulder, because the arm is both turned inward and taken behind the body. A sharp pinch at the front or top of the shoulder is not the stretch and is a reason to ease off.
Q: Why can't I get my hand far up my back?: Reaching up the back depends on the shoulder blade and elbow as well as how far the shoulder turns inward, so a short reach is not always a sign of tight rotator cuff muscles. If one side stays clearly limited or painful, have a trainer or physical therapist check which part is restricted.