Shoulder Pain: Fix by Hanging From a Bar-Impingement, Cuff Tear, Etc. 

I read the book 6 months ago, tried it and got to full recovery. I had shoulder surgery planned but cancelled it. Now I keep brachiating every day, especially at the gym between sets, and I'm back to benching above 250 lbs, doing weighted dips and every other exercise I want without shoulder pain.

My pull up bar was delivered 6/24/22. My husband had it put together in a couple days. It’s a free standing one and good for various exercises. Today is July 10, 2022 and the shoulder pain is almost non-existent. I have used the bar to stretch about 4 times per day for about 60 seconds each time! This is a life safer! Thank you so much!

After doing this program for a few months, I can safely say that this video changed my life! My shoulders were both in terrible shape, and now I have the full range of motion without pain!

I had been dealing with my issue for about a year. I went to a couple of chiropractors during that time but had no success. Bob and Brad nailed it!! I watched several of their videos on this topic and I've had GREAT SUCCESS!!! Bob and Brad, if y'all are reading this, THANK YOU!!

In November of 2019 I injured my shoulder which had been painfree for years after intense physical therapy for impingement syndrome. For the last ten months, I've tried to do everything I could to deal with the pain, but nothing worked--physical therapy, swimming, Pilates, ice, etc. It got to the point where I literally couldn't take the pain anymore, my shoulder just felt like dead meat hanging off the bone. Bob and Brad's videos have helped before, so I turned to them. Saw this and thought it was crazy, but I went ahead and bought a door pull-up bar so I could try out hanging and not have to go to a gym or a park. The FIRST time I hanged I felt better! I've been doing two or three times a day for thirty seconds (about 10 or 15 seconds is at full weight, and the rest I have my feet down) and I am now mostly PAIN FREE!!!!! You do have to continue to do it every day, though, because I missed two days in a row and my pain came back, although not as bad. So I'm committing to every day now. I am just so thankful to Bob and Brad and Dr. Kirsch too. From pain that literally made me nauseous to virtually no pain in such a short period of time--I would never believe it if I didn't experience it myself.

Just came upon your video looking for some relief from subacromial impingement. The rational behind the 'hanging' treatment made sense to me so I gave it a try. The first couple of days was painful and I couldn't do much more than bend my knees enough to transfer a fraction of my weight onto my shoulders (I found that it helped to pull my shoulder blades together before transferring weight to help position the humeral head in the socket). However, within 4 or 5 days I was getting a significant increase in my range of motion and much less pain. After 7 or 8 days I would say the impingement has been corrected. Really impressed. Highly recommended.

Suffered a shoulder impingement while rolling at jiu-jitsu last Saturday. I took a chance, and hung from my pullup bar. Felt and heard a loud crack, which sent a huge sensation of relief along my arm and shoulder. Mobility went from 50 percent to almost 80 percent in a couple days now. I'm making this part of my regular routine!

IT works:) active swimmer here major improvement after a month....been in pain for 3 years plus - nothing else worked - this does 👍😊

I'm going to join in and say this has been amazing. I had severe shoulder pain and now I have virtually no pain. It took about 3 sessions before I had significant improvement. Now I'm back to a normal workout with, again, virtually no pain. Just amazing! Lastly, thank you both for your excellent work, i find you to be a great asset.

This and your other videos on hanging, and Dr. Kirsch's book, saved my life. Thank you!!

Just watch this last night and went to the park today and practiced this hanging for 30 seconds each time and it really helped me. Going to continue. Thanks!

I'm 62 and enjoy working out, but recently have been experiencing debilitating impingement that has caused my upper body workouts to come to a grinding halt. Luckily I came across your two videos on hanging from a bar and what I call the handcuff stretch. After just a few days of these two stretches I have regained about 90% mobility and virtually no pain except when stretching and during abduction, but hopefully that will eventually go away also. Thanks guys for the great videos! You have helped me tremendously!

Hanging from a bar has made the biggest improvement to my shoulder. I play guitar and over the past 6 months my shoulder has become very painfully. Thanks for the brilliant video.

I LOST IT WITH THAT INTRO SONG LMAOOOOOOOOO

This video saved my livelihood. My shoulder became so frozen I couldn't even shampoo my head with my right arm. I did this treatment for 6 months every day and it cured me. I'm 100% recovered after countless Drs, therapists, accupucturers, and chiropractors had given up. I owe you guys big time. But I'm paying it forward. I tell everyone about this amazing cure. If you have shoulder pain or limited mobility, do it! Start today, don't make any more excuses. Be consistent. Deal with the pain, it will get better. And get your life back. Thank you so much.

I tried traditional therapy to alleviate my chronic shoulder pain from impingement and found this video doing a google search. Within three weeks my shoulder pain is all but gone (90%). It did hurt like hell in the beginning, but I stayed with it and did it 5 x a week. Started with partial weight bearing and now I can hang for 35 seconds 3-4x. My goal is to do 1' minute 3x and I think I will be cured. Great video and a life saver for me. I am a 51yr male.

I owe this video every thanks and appreciation - my pains truly went away as a result of following this video. I am in Liberia, West Africa

Hanging from a pull-up bar and doing trapezius stretches cured my bad neck and shoulder pain. I had constant pain like a pinched nerve with radiating pain to fingertips for over a year. My injury was from bad posture and had used heavy backpacks while bike commuting daily. When I first did the bar hanging I would feel popping and grinding and then near instant relief. It was amazing and I was way better within a month. Before I had tried all the other chin tucks and suggests from Bob and Brad for months with minimal success. I think my injury was pinching if the nerve from a super tight trapezius muscle. You can also get a similar stretch as hanging from the bar by just laying on the bed on your stomach and reaching above your head and pulling from the edge of the bed above your head. Arching your back at the same time stretches the back muscles more too. Thanks for all you do Bob and Brad!

Thank you! Tried it for several weeks, performing this daily...IT WORKED! Shoulder pain gone and I can raise my arms directly up and touch my ears with my arms! Thank you so much...saved me from needless shoulder surgery!

This is so helpful! I already have Dr. Kirsch's book and your video is a great companion to his technique.

You guy's did a great job of explaining the stuff in the book. Thank You

this really does work... i randomly got a really bad pain at work on the top of my shoulder it made sense the whole thing about the pinched nerve you guys talked about.. and after doing these exercises the pain went away after a couple of days i couldnt even sleep in any position without pain now i am recovering doing these everyother day thanks :)

Wow, I love doing this! Bob and Brad, thank you for sharing the knowledge and giving credit to the doc. My shoulder feels amazing after a week and a half after being gimpy for nearly six months. Reading comments below: weight lifting straps+pipe insulation around the bar+gloves=very little strain on the hands and wrists.

Thanks for this video, let me share. I have used other exercise and strengthening exercise, only 15-20% improved. Did this hanging exercise, 2 days, significant improvement, 80% improvement, I am so relieved to have found this exercise. I think this should be promoted more so people get relief. Thanks again.........

It’s helping!!! I have an impingement that’s been growing worse for more than a year. I had two wellness center visits with a trainer that caused much worse pain. It interferes with sleep, playing piano is painful, I can’t tolerate playing guitar, and typing seems to worsen it. (Music, writing and editing are my livelihood). I started hanging less than a week ago. Only 10-15 seconds at a time, ouch! And only a bit of my weight suspended so far (I’m only 130 lbs). 1-2 minutes between, on and off for 15 minutes. Already I sleep better, and I can demonstrate on guitar for a few seconds before needing to stop. Less than a week!!!! I’ll wait a couple months and give an update. Thank you so much. I’ve turned to your videos, Bob and Brad, several times for other things, and recommend you often. I’m so encouraged!❤ Bob, I pray for you.

You guys are great - thanks for the advice. Please keep going - you are now much more relaxed and quite funny. It is great how you 'bounce' off each other. Love your RU-vids. Robert.

this video is fantastic. i will try this method and see how my shoulder feels. i am yet to diagnose my problem but i believe it is impingement from a broken collarbone over 10 years ago.

AS an older man I noticed many of my contemporaries losing height. to prevent that I've been hanging from a bar. After six months, not only am I not shrinking but I'm now almost an inch taller!

Thanks for the Video. I havent tried this one yet but i have seen your other videos. Shoulder Impingement; 2 critical Exercises - This one really helped me to reduce my shoulder pain and overall motion. Thanks very much :) :)

Thank you for the video, guys! I've been working to rehab my shoulder impingement for the last few months with some exercises and a chiropractor visit. It never healed and was beginning to get worse. I watched this video last night and tried the hang exercise. The pain level was 1000 out of 10! So excruciating that I was seeing stars LOL. Since then, I've been doing the hang (before and after work, then after dinner) and my shoulder feels so much better. I have increased movement and the pain from the hang is steadily decreasing. Thank you thank you!

Great job.. Thanks for educating me and everyone else...

I'm in the field as well and this was very helpful & useful information. Thank you!

I’ve been I pain for almost 4 months This injury has kept me out of the gym I can wait to try your techniques, and pray this pain subsides. Thank you

Proven, effective and helpful. Thanks guys!

Thank you for making this video. I'm definitely going to try this.

Thank you this has definitely helped my shoulder.

My first chiropractor told me to hang for lumbar pain. I tried it and it seemed to work. I gave it up for lack of places to hang and blah blah, excuses. I recently started because my back has been bothering me and I have a good place to hang at my gym. It works wonders for my back, and now I am motivated to extend the time to work on my shoulders. Thanks! Deadlift straps should be great for this. I am going to try them.

My right shoulder hurt so bad while trying to sleep flat on my back that I could often not sleep at all. I started these exercises and that pain is long gone.

You guys are now famous among my contacts too. I followed a few of your videos and they helped me a lot. I will start this hanging exercise and will update you how I feel after 2-3 weeks.

Thank you both so much for posting this video. I have been dealing with progressively worsening shoulder pain for the last 4 months and nothing seemed to help. A PT discouraged me from doing these exercises but I purchased and read Dr. Kirsch's book and decided to give it a try. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. I have been doing these exercises for 1 week and my pain is almost gone. I am regaining confidence in my arm. Soon I hope to be surfing again. I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Once again, thank you for all you do.

About a year ago, I started having pain in my left shoulder. Being in my mid-50's, it looked like I was going to have to give up exercising with gymnastic rings for good. First ring dips were too painful, then ring pushups, then even the static support hold. I could still do the "pull" exercises like body rows and inverted pull-ups, but that was about it. After a couple months of hanging several times per day for 30 seconds, range-of-motion increased and pain subsided to the point where I could once again start working with the rings. The numbers of reps had obviously dropped from where they were a year earlier, but they have been steadily increasing and three months after starting to hang, I'm just about back to my previous level of fitness. I can't say enough about this method and will continue to follow it from now on, so as to maintain shoulder health and mobility.

This are great tips. Thanks you for your videos!!👍🏼

Best intro ever!

I've been doing it almost everyday for the past few weeks and the shoulders feel way better. (I'm also doing face pulls with external rotation almost everyday too). I can do pushups now and also shoulder lateral raises (which used to cause pain earlier).

thank you for making this video!

Thanks for posting this. Gave this a try because of issues with my right shoulder. The first hang was extremely painful, but the pain stops. I happened to have an 8lb kettle bell nearby, so I grabbed it and squeezed out 10-15 reps with it. Going to do this daily and see how it works out. After reading older comments, I'm looking forward to good results.

I have shoulder bursitis or a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I purchased and read Dr. Kirsch's book based upon your video. I started doing passive hanging and within one week, I started to notice the benefits. My range of motion over my head was better and less painful. I was able to freestyle swim with significantly less pain than ever before. THANKS for pointing me to Dr. Kirsch's book.

Excellent demo and good work .i found it very useful. Thank you Bob and Brad . regards from Saudi Arabia, Jeddah

Hanging from a pull-up bar helped me tremendously.

I'm a nanny and my right shoulder has been hurting very badly. Since seeing your other videos about this, I hang form the monkey bars at the playground whenever i go there with the kids. It has been helping. Thank you!

I've been trying this 1 - 3 times / d. ROM has improved. :-)

I’ve done many case studies on this the best results I’ve seen is doing this after you’re completely finished working out and not before working out especially if you’re lifting heavy. Over stretching a muscle can lead to serious injuries. Allot of people do the hanging wrong to they hang while also contracting their lats allot when they need to fully relax as best as possible, the most tension you should feel is on your hands and forearms. Stretching is also a touchy subject I would prefer to say lengthen the muscle

That intro is legendary

I had not seen this video or read the book. I saw a pull up bar at a playground, grabbed the bar, then gently hung, I felt a painfull 'pop' then the shoulder worked well. A week later I had the same results when 'throwing' my covers over my bed.

I found this video by accident and I'm glad I did. I've had rotator cuff pain on and off for years from weightlifting and it just started again a couple of days ago. I started hanging a from the door moldings in my house and then, when I could get to the gym, there. The first time I hung it was excruciating and I could only hang for 10 seconds or so. In the same session, I increased to 30 seconds. That same evening, the pain in my shoulder reduced by about 85%. I purchased the latest edition of the book by Dr. Kirsh and I'm off to the races! Following the protocol outlined in the book, I expect full recovery and to be back weightlifting again. Thank you!

as therapist I am also suffering pain right shoulder.. once I mobiles the shoulder I wouldn't feel any pain what ever the range .. after 10min if I want to try I will feel restriction and little pain ..if after long time moderate pain I am getting... so I will try this and I will forward my physio classmates who are in practice.. we are always students to learn new things...thank you so much

I did this after a 3rd shoulder tear a few years back and have been pain free since hanging.

Another great video! Thanks!

I was having a painful shoulder after a game of basketball two days ago. I was glad to see this video yesterday and tried hanging several times. Today the pain is gone. It's not 100% but hanging had a better result than other stretching

Could you do a video on why one shoulder might be lower than the other and what exercises might help? Your videos have helped me so much, thank you!

Seems like a great exercise!! will try it.

Worked great for me. I now have a removable pull up bar in my office and hang twice a day for 30-45 seconds. Total game-changer!

Heard the intro song and thought Bob and Brad about to drop some slick bars

Thank you so much for the video! I've been unable to use my shoulder much since I injured it almost 2 years ago. Can't wait to try this.

Thanks guys.

This really worked for me. Thank you! I developed a severe impingement in my rotator cuff from playing tennis, X-rays show calcification. I tried physical therapy and anti inflammatory meds and 2 months of no activity. They helped but I felt that if I returned to normal activity that I would relapse. With just hanging from a bar ONCE I felt immediate relief. Almost like it dislodged the pinched nerve. I do it regularly now, especially after I workout or play tennis. I still feel some achiness there but it's tolerable and quickly improves with ice. THANK YOU for this amazing info!!!

I watched all the way to the end🥰

Have really sure shoulder pain, especially doing incline chest press and raising my arm in front, starting this today to see how it helps, will update in a few weeks.

Interesting. But I'd be more interested to see either of you guys do one pull up :) Can confirm this take on the shoulder. During 25+ years of active rock climbing, hanging my full body weight on one arm or finger, never had a single shoulder issue. Was only after years of relative laziness that I managed to tear my labrum and rotator cuff.

Had my shoulder pain for over a year. Went to chiropractor, physio therapist and doctor. None mentioned this book or exercise. Been doing it for just a few days and already I am sleeping better and arm feels much better. Confident this is going to do the trick. Question: Why does the physio therapist not mention this? Is he afraid of losing his patient?

I do this every time I workout as part of my warm up and it has made my shoulder feel great. Also it works a little bit of your grip too. I hang there for about a minute. I originally saw this on Joe Defrancos website and now it is good to see more people having success from this exercise. Thanks guys.

This video and simply hanging in a passive pull up position has worked like magic for me. My left shoulder has been killing me after years of being an IT Pro with less than great posture and after having taken up jiu-jitsu - the straw that broke the camel's back for me happened about 2 months ago after rolling hard a few times on the mats. I believe I'm dealing with a rotator cuff injury as well as shoulder impingement. After starting brachiating for just 48 hours, doing 10-15 sec hangs at 6-10 times a day, my left shoulder feels 100% better - I'm able to lay flat on my back without my shoulder absolutely killing me. Push up's & Bench press exercises really irritate my left shoulder and exacerbate my symptoms, so I do not plan on resuming those exercises for at least a few more weeks and until I fully rehab my shoulder. I believe the "two most famous physical therapists on the internet" are hitting the nail on the head for my specific injury and I could not be more thankful and grateful for their work in explaining this in laymans terms! Thank you so much Bob & Brad!!!

Been trying this for a only a week and the results are amazing! I first heard about the book they are referring to on the Joe Rogan podcast. The best remedies are the simplest!

You guys are the best! You even make me laugh!!! Thanks!

I do bodybuilding and one of my favourite stretches at the end of my workout, particularly after a Back or Chest workout, is letting myself hang from a bar. My shoulder mobility is really good, the stretch feels lovely, and I've been doing this for years! I'll start with two hands for around 30 seconds then just hang and stretch with one hand for 30 seconds and then the other.

Very interesting. I’m sure I have some shoulder impingement. Some of your exercises have already helped. I don’t have a bar to hang from but I have a Total Gym and I think hanging from the pulley handles with my arms overhead will replicate hanging from a bar to a certain degree. Will definitely be trying this. Thanks!

You guys are so great

It really works well!

Hanging was one of the best exercises I have ever implemented into training, shoulder relief almost instantly and with consistency, it has eliminated any shoulder issues I had. And whats more, once you can hang properly for over 1 minute, you can go on for more difficult variations that not only keep your shoulder healthy but will really strengthen your hands/grip ( one arm hangs, hanging on towels etc)

I have been training to do pull ups, and the hanging hurts my shoulder a lot, and it make a lot of poppin noise. But this video has helped me gain confidence on the bar and started trying harder and boom pain is gone! Thanks!

How could you not love these guys lol

Sadly i dont have a bar to hang so i did it with my room door with a towel and it amazing how 3 sets relieved 30 % of the pain I'll keep doing them everyday Thank you a lot guys for these amazing helpful videos

Thanks guys

I do the bar hanging with using dead weight lifting straps on my wrists and wrapped around the hang bar. It relieves some of the need to grip and squeeze the bar so much allowing longer easier hang time.

I have been diagnoses with a calcium deposit at the very top of my bicep tendon that was extremely painful and limited my range of motion severely in a flare up scenario. I use a combo of hanging from a bar and relaxing to simply holding a 10 lb weight in the affected arm and relaxing until the pain goes away and ROM has returned. Cheers!

Wow! Worked for me! I had shoulder pain that was waking me at night. Two days of 30-60 second 'hangs' from the pull up bar and I'm back to being able to sleep. I'd say 85% improved already! I'm 67 yrs old and do moderate exercise 5 days a week, including dumbbell workouts and was worried I'd have to give up some of my workouts.

very interesting, thank you

my shoulder was messed, could barely move my elbow past my shoulder height without pain, up for 3 yrs after trying to keep up with my son workinging out. I'm 56 yrs old now. I've been doing this for three weeks and my injured shoulder feels %1000 better, stronger and has more flexibility. I can now put my elbow head height, scratch my back with that arm, and it doesn't hurt. Never thought I'd be contemplating getting back into pull ups but I"ll try that after I can hang for more than 2 minutes. Right now I'm hanging almost a minute. It hurt in the begining but it wasn't any worse than it already hurt and didn't hurt worse afterwards either AND I weigh 230 lbs so I am giving my shoulders a workout.

thanx guys

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Knowledge is the key to a better world. Mine is better because my rotator cuffs are healing fast.

u guys are good guys

People, don't expect any intervention to work overnight. I'm 58 and I've solved shoulder pain and knee pain that I was told would always be with me. In the case of knee pain, it took me several years. Don't evaluate any program, be it nutrition/diet, weightlifting or a rehabilitation after only weeks or months. This is where most people fail, expecting miracles. This shoulder hang is very helpful and should be a regular routine for anyone with impingement.

This works 100 percent

I tried all the stretches and exercises but was never able to get over they top and get real relief until I started doing this . 5 years of shoulder pinch almost gone , nice to be able to get a full nights rest again

This video fixed me in 2 days!!! Symptoms: Shoulder bursitis/tendonitus/impingement. Couldnt raise arm to side or overhead without clicking catching. Putting a jacket on hurt when getting my arms into the sleeves. Developed this from playing too much volleyball and ping pong. I had 2.5 weeks of a really shitty, annoying shoulder. I started hanging on the pullup bar at work, like this video says. At first I had to widen my grip because of the impingement and pain. I was like a Y shape on the bar. Gradually I kept moving my grip close and closer, towards more of an H shape. I could feel it pulling the shit out of the effected tendon(s). Mostly the bicep and the surpraspinatus. It hurt for about 2 hours after that, but mildly. At home I applied an ice pack, did Bob's "put your hand on the back of the chair and walk away from it slowly" stretch, heard/felt a huge pop when my humerous clicked back into place. Boom woke up and I have my shoulder back! Going to keep hanging but, the shoulder is working properly now! YES!!!!

I’ll do this before I start my workout at my gym. When I let go theres an awesome blood rush that goes to my head

Saw Steve Maxwell talking about this on JRE, Some good details in your video thanks

Currently have a shoulder impingement and ITBS. For about a year now, very weird how they both happened around the same time. Progress is soo slow. I’ll give this a try hopefully I get results 👍

do you think you could maybe make a video about hip stress fractures?

Definitely going to try it. I can already touch my ears, but I have this really annoying thing going on. I'll report back in a few months.