Having an injury stinks. It can be difficult to exercise with shoulder pain, or any pain for that matter. Not only does it hurt, but it makes it hard to go about our regular everyday lives. Our activities are reduced and it can be very frustrating. When you have a shoulder injury, it can feel like you're suddenly unable to move half your body, not just the one arm. Even if it's not your dominant arm, it's surprising to realize how many things you do with it when you're not even paying attention. Shoulder pain is a fast way to discover how many things you do with that arm – every movement is a reminder.

Before you decide to exercise with shoulder pain, the first thing you need to do is make an appointment to see your doctor. It may sound like a nuisance, but this will help you to know the specific cause of the pain as well as the types of specific things you should not be doing. The last thing you want to do is make your shoulder pain worse, especially if it's the result of an injury.

The shoulder itself is an amazing ball and socket style of joint. This makes your arm exceptionally mobile – able to reach in nearly every direction. That said, because it is used for so many things, it is at an increased risk of injury and therefore pain. Common sources of pain include bursitis (a disease of the rotator cuff), tendonitis, frozen shoulder and even arthritis.

Once you know the root cause you can find out if the following exercises will be appropriate for you. These choices are often appropriate for people who are suffering from shoulder pain.

To start, many people with shoulder pain benefit from daily stretches of the chest and front part of the shoulder. This helps to decrease tension in the area and helps to prevent slumped or slouched shoulders. Do chest and shoulder stretches according to the directions of a doctor or physiotherapist and make sure to keep your shoulder itself relaxed the whole time. A one minute stretch is appropriate for most people.

Beyond stretching, it can also be very helpful to focus on strengthening the muscles, tendons and ligaments that provide support to the shoulder. These are primarily located in the upper back. This will help to give you good posture and will give your shoulder support from the surrounding muscles so it doesn't need to work as hard to complete various tasks or simply to be sedentary.