How to Relieve Shoulder Pain at Home with Just a Ball

How to Relieve Shoulder Pain at Home with Just a Ball
When discomfort or restricted range of motion strikes the shoulder, it’s tempting to assume the issue lies within the joint itself. But often, the culprit is not the shoulder – it’s how the shoulder blade moves in coordination with the rest of the body. At H-Wave, we focus on a systems-based approach to support shoulder performance, comfort, and resilience through motion, context, and non-invasive methods.


Understanding the Shoulder and Shoulder Blade Relationship
Think of the musculature around your shoulder like an octopus. The “arms” of this octopus help steer, compress, and stabilize the shoulder joint. But where does this octopus live? Its “home” is the shoulder blade (scapula). If this base is stiff or doesn’t move freely, the rest of the system – the arms – are constrained. This impacts your ability to move efficiently and comfortably.

To enhance how the shoulder operates, improving the mobility of the shoulder blade is key. This doesn’t require fancy equipment or complicated routines. In fact, all you need is a ball (a lacrosse ball or even a tennis ball), a soft surface, and a few intentional minutes each day.

The Simple Ball Routine
Here’s a straightforward approach you can try at home:

  1. Positioning the Ball:
    • Lie on your back on a soft surface like a carpet or yoga mat.
    • Place the ball in the area between your shoulder blade and spine – around the traps and neck zone.
  2. Breath-Driven Motion:
    • Start with deep, controlled breathing. Expand and contract your rib cage while lying on the ball.
    • Even if the area feels sensitive, know that you’re not causing harm. It’s often just unfamiliar tension being addressed.
  3. Introduce Gentle Movement:
    • Reach your arm Once you’re comfortable, begin adding slow arm movements.
    • overhead, stretch across your body, or move in a snow-angel motion.
    • These movements cue the surrounding tissues to adapt and reset, supporting better function and mobility.
  4. Timing:
    • Spend about five minutes on each side.
    • Afterward, stand up and test your range of motion – notice if your shoulder feels more responsive, stable, or freer in movement.

The H-Wave Advantage
While this ball technique targets local mobility, layering it with H-Wave use can amplify results. The device promotes circulation and encourages pain-free contractions, helping create a more receptive environment for tissue adaptation. By integrating non-threatening movement, the nervous system starts to rewire its response, letting go of overly protective patterns.

What makes this combo powerful is that it delivers motion in a context that feels safe. When lying on your back, there’s less mechanical stress, and the brain often interprets movement in this posture as more tolerable. This makes it easier to work through mobility drills that might otherwise be challenging in upright positions.

The Takeaway
Improving shoulder function doesn’t need to be complicated. With just a few minutes a day using a ball and breathing intentionally, you can create meaningful changes in how your shoulder performs. Combine this with H-Wave to enhance circulation and introduce safe movement, and you have a practical routine that fits seamlessly into your day.

Watch the full video below to learn more from Dr. Kelly Starrett:

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