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Wall Slide exercise demonstration
Exercise library

Wall Slide

Sliding the arms up a wall keeping contact throughout, restoring overhead range without excess strain.

Area
Shoulder
Stage
Mobility phase
Equipment
No equipment

Typical dose: 3 sets × 10 reps · once a day, 5 days a week · slow. This is a general starting point, not a plan matched to your condition or stage.

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How to do it

No equipment needed - just a bit of space.

Stand facing a wall, about a forearm's length away. Place the little-finger edge of both hands and forearms flat against the wall, elbows bent, roughly in a goalpost shape.

  1. Keeping your forearms and hands in contact with the wall, slide them slowly upwards.
  2. Go as high as you can while keeping contact and without pain or shrugging.
  3. Slide slowly back down to the start, gently drawing your shoulder blades down as you lower.

Form cues

  • Keep your ribs down and your lower back flat - do not arch to reach higher.
  • Forearms stay on the wall the whole way up and down.
  • Shoulders stay away from your ears.

Common mistakes

  • Arching the back to gain height.
  • Letting the forearms peel off the wall.
  • Forcing past a painful or pinching point.

Safety: Stop and message your physio if the shoulder pinches sharply or catches each time you lift.

Part of these recovery programmes

This exercise is one step in a staged plan for the conditions below. Each link opens the full programme and shows where this exercise fits.

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