Are you wondering how to stretch the teres minor muscle in the back of your shoulder? You’re not alone! And it’s a smart question to ask. Adding targeted teres minor stretches to your routine can seriously boost shoulder mobility, prevent injury, and support your overall muscle balance.
7 of my personal go-to teres minor stretches that you can do on a daily basis are:
1) Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
2) Thread the Needle Stretch
3) Wall Stretch for Teres Minor
4) Sleeper Stretch
5) Doorway Stretch (Modified for External Rotators)
6) Standing Arm Across Wall Stretch
7) Foam Roller Stretch (Side-Lying)
In this article, we’ll answer how to stretch the teres minor muscle with easy exercises, explore what the teres minor is, its common causes and symptoms, and offer 5 pain relief strategies. I’ll even cover the self-message tool I recommend using before exercising!
How to Stretch Teres Minor: 7 Simple Tutorials to Try
Curious how to stretch the teres minor muscle?
Check out these 7 simple teres minor stretches I can’t rave about enough:
1. Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
Benefits: Targets the teres minor and posterior deltoid (back of your shoulder)
How to:
1) Bring one arm across your chest.
2) Hold this arm with the opposite hand, drawing it up against your chest.
3) Hold this for 20-30 seconds.
4) Repeat on the other side.
Why It Works: It stretches your outer shoulder, helping to reduce tightness in the teres minor.
2. Thread the Needle Stretch
Benefits: Loosens your teres minor, lats, and mid-back muscles
How to:
1) With your yoga mat out and ready, start on all fours.
2) Bring your right arm underneath your left one, keeping your palm facing upward.
3) Lower your right shoulder and cheek to the yoga mat.
4) Next, keep your left hand on the mat or reach it forward and above your head.
5) Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
Why It Works: It offers a deep stretch across your rear shoulder and mid-spine area.
3. Wall Stretch for Teres Minor
Benefits: Stretches your shoulder’s external rotators for boosted flexibility and eases muscle tension
How to:
1) Stand so that the side of your body is next to a wall.
2) Bending your elbow at a 90-degree angle, press the back of your arm (triceps and hand) against the wall.
3) Rotate your torso away from the wall slowly.
4) You can hold this for 20-30 seconds.
5) Switch sides and repeat.
Why It Works: It directly targets your teres minor muscle and infraspinatus.
4. Sleeper Stretch
Benefits: Posterior shoulder tightness and internal rotation
How to:
1) Lie on your side with your bottom arm bent at a 90-degree angle in front of you.
2) Using your top arm, gently press the wrist of your lower arm down toward the floor.
3) You can hold this for 20 seconds, but don’t force it!
4) Repeat on your other arm.
Why It Works: It isolates your teres minor and any related rotator cuff muscles.
5. Doorway Stretch (Modified for External Rotators)
Benefits: Relieves tension in the rear shoulders and opens your chest
How to:
1) Stand in a doorway, raising one arm to a 90-degree angle while your elbow is bent.
2) Placing your forearm against the frame, rotate your body away.
3) You should feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder.
4) Hold this for 20-30 seconds per side.
Why it Works: It loosens any of your tight rotator cuff muscles, including the teres minor.
6. Standing Arm Across Wall Stretch
Benefits: Deep (and rejuvenating) posterior shoulder release
How to:
1) Stand sideways to a wall.
2) Extending one arm across your body, place the back of your hand flat against the wall.
3) Gently press your shoulder forward.
4) You can hold this for 20-30 seconds.
5) Switch sides and repeat.
Why It Works: It targets your teres minor muscle by stretching the back of your shoulder under resistance.
7. Foam Roller Stretch (Side-Lying)
Benefits: Myofascial release for your lats and teres minor muscle
How to:
1) Lie on your side with a foam roller under your armpit angled slightly toward your back.
2) Slowly, roll over your teres minor area (AKA between your scapula and armpit).
3) Pause over any tight spots you encounter.
Why It Works: It helps release fascia (a type of connective tissue) around your teres minor for better flexibility. [1]
Where Is Your Teres Minor Muscle Located?
Your teres minor is a small but important muscle located in the back of your shoulders. Interestingly, it’s one of 4 muscles making up your rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint, helping you move your arm in different directions. [2]
Not to get too science-y, but your teres minor starts at the outer edge of your shoulder blade – called the lateral border of the scapula – and connects to the top of your upper arm bone (the greater tubercle of the humerus). Here’s what to know in simpler terms about your teres minor:
→ Your teres minor runs from your shoulder blade to the top of your arm bone.
→ Your teres minor sits just above another muscle called the teres major, working extremely close together with nearby muscles like the infraspinatus (located at the back of your shoulder and is part of the rotator cuff). [3]
If you want to learn how to stretch your teres major, check out the article below:
"8 Effective Teres Major Stretches"
What Does Your Teres Minor Muscle Do?
For the most part, your teres minor has one main job: To help rotate your arm outward (called external rotation) and keep your shoulder joint stable. Research shows that a healthy, strong teres minor is a key part of shoulder strength, athletic performance, and injury prevention. [4]
If your teres minor gets tight, weak, or injured, it can lead to shoulder pain, limited movement, and rotator cuff tears over time.
Common Causes of Teres Minor Pain to Know About
Some common causes of teres minor pain that you should know about include:
→ Overuse or repetitive movements – especially overhead movements like lifting or throwing
→ Rotator cuff strain or tear – the teres minor muscle is part of your rotator cuff, after all
→ Poor posture – rounded shoulders can easily overstress your teres minor muscle
→ Trauma or direct injury – such as from a fall or a deep shoulder impact
→ Muscle imbalances – this can happen when you have stronger front shoulder muscles overpowering weaker back muscles
→ Shoulder impingements – which is the pinching of tendons or muscles around your shoulder
→ Age-related degeneration – this is normal wear and tear over time
→ Nerve compression – such as axillary nerve issues that affect your shoulder muscles
Common Symptoms of Teres Minor Pain to Keep in Mind
Here are some common symptoms of teres minor pain you can keep in mind:
→ A deep, aching pain in the back of your shoulder
→ Tenderness when pressing on the outer back of your shoulder
→ Weakness when rotating your arm outward (AKA external rotation)
→ Muscle soreness or tightness around the back of your shoulder blade
→ Pain at night that can make sleeping a bit uncomfortable
→ Pain that worsens with any activity
→ Limited shoulder mobility or stiffness
→ Difficulty lifting objects or reaching overhead
Effective Teres Minor Pain Relief Strategies That Actually Work
If you’re dealing with stubborn teres minor pain, there’s good news: some strategies can help!
Here’s what strategies – besides a teres minor stretch – can give you some much-needed relief:
1. Incorporate Gentle Teres Minor Stretches
Keeping your teres minor flexible can reduce tension and prevent any flare-ups. Start with light, controlled stretches that focus on external shoulder rotation and shoulder opening. Remember to never force it – aim for a comfortable range of motion that you can improve on over time.
2. Apply Heat Before Activity
Applying a warm compress or heating pad to your shoulder area before you get moving can do absolute wonders – we promise! Heat can increase blood flow, loosen tight muscles, and prep your teres minor for activity, making it less prone to any strain. 10 to 15 minutes will do the trick. [5]
3. Strengthen Surrounding Muscles
When muscles like your rotator cuff group – supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis – along with scapular stabilizers, are strong, they can take pressure off of your teres minor. Try to focus on a teres minor stretch that strengthens your rotator cuff, upper back muscles, and core.
4. Don’t Skip Posture Fixes
Poor posture – especially rounded shoulders and a forward head position – can overstress your teres minor, likely without you even realizing it. Try to prioritize posture correction exercises like chin tucks, shoulder blade squeezes, and wall angles to set your shoulders in a healthy position.
FAQs on Teres Minor Stretches and More
How Do You Stretch the Teres Minor Muscle?
To stretch your teres minor muscle, bring one arm across your chest, pulling it closer with the opposite hand (this is called a cross-body shoulder stretch!). If that doesn’t help, you can try side-lying stretches like the sleeper stretch to target the pain more deeply and effectively.
What Is the Weakness of the Teres Minor?
Teres minor weakness can lead to things like poor shoulder stability, reduced external rotation strength, and limited overhead movement, which can make everyday arm motions difficult.
What Is the Trigger Point of the Teres Minor Pain?
You can find trigger points of the teres minor at the back of your shoulder, near the outer edge of the shoulder blade. They can cause a deep, aching pain that sometimes radiates down the arm.
What Are the Symptoms of a Damaged Teres Minor?
Common symptoms of a damaged teres minor are:
→ Shoulder pain
→ Weakness when rotating your arm outward
→ Reduced range of motion
→ Difficult with overhead activities like lifting or reaching
Why Does the Teres Minor Get Tight?
The teres minor can get tight from poor posture, rotator cuff overuse, compensation when other shoulder muscles are weak or imbalanced, and repetitive overhead movements.
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