The No. 1 Exercise to Do Daily to Maintain Shoulder Mobility, According to a Physical Therapist

Add to GoogleWhat to Know About Frozen Shoulder: Symptoms, Treatment, More05:44Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleOct. 13, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT / Source: TODAYBy Aryelle SiclaitOur joints support all of our movements. Some joints don’t move at all, providing structural support, others have limited mobility while offering structural support too; and a third kind, called diarthrotic joints, have a full range of motion, allowing for the most movement, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Our shoulders are among this third class of joints that should move with ease in most directions. They, however, tend not to get the TLC they deserve until they’re aching or mobility is impaired.

To know if your shoulder is working as it should, add this one move to your daily routine to keep the cartilage, tendons and ligaments in this critical joint at their peak.

“A great test for you to do at home to see how (well) your shoulder is moving is the shoulder CAR, or controlled articular rotation,” said Karena Wu, doctor of physical therapy, Start TODAY trainer and orthopedic physical therapist.

While our shoulders should be able to move freely with 180 degrees of forward motion and sideways motion, said Wu, stiffness can limit that range of motion.

When your shoulder can’t move at its full capacity, another body part that isn’t equipped to will often have to take over, explained Wu.

“A lot of times when your shoulders are not moving so well, and they’re not strong, your neck is substituting,” she said. “So that’s why you have a lot of neck and jaw or head pain if you don’t have great shoulder mobility.”

“The shoulder CAR can be done (with) five to eight repetitions, and you can do it daily to help improve shoulder range of motion,” said Wu.

If you’re unable to complete the exercise as described, try to do it within your available range of motion, Wu says. “It will help mobilize and stretch the tight tissues so that eventually, one would be able to perform it fully!” she adds.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.

ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAryelle SiclaitHealth Reporter/Editor