Ever since we put a pull-up bar in our kitchen, we have been hanging, dangling, and smiling. After 20-plus years of practicing bodywork, we understand the importance of happy, healthy joints—when there’s limited range of motion, weakness, or resounding tension in the body while working, it becomes harder to give. And we want to keep giving! 

The shoulder hang (or sometimes referred to as the “dead hang”) has helped us get out of—and stay out of—shoulder pain. In the book Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention, shoulder surgeon John Kirsch, MD, shares his research for using the shoulder hang therapeutically. He was compelled to heal his own severe shoulder pain when he realized he couldn’t lift his arms overhead while playing with his children. Many of the following researched benefits and basic shoulder-hang recommendations are inspired by Kirsch’s work. 

The shoulder is a weight-suspending joint (as opposed to weight-bearing joint) that has evolved to transfer force through pushing and pulling. The shoulder has some of the most dramatic range of motion compared to other joints, providing the platform for the arms to raise, bend, rotate, and swing. And here’s the good news: The shoulder hang does more than create space in the joint, it actually helps remodel the structure of the acromion! You read that right, you can actually reshape bones with practice. This also positively contributes to the health of the subacromial bursa and strengthening the coracoacromial ligament. Additional benefits of the shoulder hang include restored range of motion (especially overhead), improved shoulder and grip strength (see “Tending to Our Hands” in Massage & Bodywork, July/August 2021, page 44), improved posture, and a decompressed spine. Many of us bodyworkers and our clients can benefit from a regular dangle.

How to Do It

Use a secure, overhead pull-up bar (online versions that do not require additional tools or hardware to install can be purchased for about $20). Optimally, use an overhead bar that is high enough to eventually suspend your full weight. If you can’t reach, do not jump up to the bar, use a step of some kind to avoid injury. 

Grip the bar shoulder-width apart and experiment with your hand positions, trying a pronated or supinated grip, or your palms facing one another. Different grips stretch and strengthen different components of your shoulder complex.

With the arms straight and your grip secure on the bar, begin to transfer more body weight into your shoulders by bending your knees or coming up to your tippy-toes, and perhaps lift your feet off the floor completely. Appreciate what your body can do, and rest before you become too fatigued.

There is no magic length of time, intensity, or number of repetitions to provide an optimal shoulder-hang regimen. Do what feels right for your body and be consistent with it. We recommend a minimum of three days a week, however, this is one we use every day. Do your best to relax and release your shoulders, belly, and pelvis to get the full benefits. For sets and reps, it depends on what other moves you’re doing, how much you weigh, how strong you are, and if you have any prior injuries. Rather than reps, focus more on the duration of the hang. Start with 5–20 seconds for each hang to establish a personal baseline, then gradually add five seconds to your baseline over time. Challenge yourself by working up to 30–60 seconds. As you get stronger and more confident with the shoulder hang, you can play with different grips, single-arm hangs, twisting through your torso, swaying your hips, knee raises, or even pull-ups. Our most sincere recommendation is that you give yourself daily, delightful refreshments that make you smile from the inside out.