by Jessica Gonsiorowski, RYT 500
A teacher-focused look at how shoulder and neck tension often connects back to thoracic mobility, scapular movement, and compensation patterns.
Shoulder discomfort is one of the most common things yoga teachers see in the yoga room. You’ll see it in newer students who are still learning the shapes, but it can also appear in long-time practitioners who have repeated the same movement patterns for years.
Because the shoulder joint is complex, it’s easy to assume the issue lives right where the student feels it — at the top of the arm, the neck, or the front of the shoulder. But in practice, it’s rarely that simple.
What I’ve found most helpful, both in my own practice and in teaching, is guiding students away from thinking of the shoulder as a single point and toward understanding it as part of a larger, coordinated system.
For yoga teachers, this matters because what we cue depends on what we’re actually seeing in the body. If we only cue the shoulder, we may miss what is happening through the spine, ribs, shoulder blades, or core. A more integrated understanding helps us support students with more clarity and confidence.
The shoulder doesn’t move alone
Take something as common as lifting the arms overhead. It looks straightforward, but for that movement to happen well, several things need to work together:
The thoracic spine needs to extend, or gently arch backward.
The scapulae, or shoulder blades, need to upwardly rotate and glide smoothly along the ribcage.
The humerus, or arm bone, needs to externally rotate.
Surrounding muscles need to both stabilize and release at the right time.
When one part of this system is limited, the body will find a workaround. That workaround is often where discomfort begins.
Thoracic mobility: the missing piece
A big one that often gets overlooked is the upper and mid back —the thoracic spine.
If the thoracic spine is stiff, especially in extension, the body still needs to get the arms overhead somehow. So instead of creating movement where it is intended, students may:
Arch excessively through the lower back
Push the ribcage forward, also known as rib flare
Over-recruit the neck and upper trapezius
Over time, this creates a pattern where the shoulder joint is asked to do more than it is designed for, without the support it needs.
Shoulder discomfort in yoga is not always just about the shoulder. It is often a reflection of how the whole system is working together — or compensating.
Bringing awareness to the scapula
Another shift that can make a big difference is helping students become more aware of their shoulder blades.
The scapulae are meant to move. For healthy overhead motion, they need to upwardly rotate, slightly elevate, and wrap around the ribcage.
But many students either hold them rigidly in place, often from hearing cues like “pull your shoulders down and back,” or they lack awareness of how their shoulder blades move at all.
Both can interfere with the shoulder's natural mechanics.
Instead of cueing static positions, guide students toward feeling the movement of the shoulder blades — how they slide, rotate, and respond as the arms lift and lower.
The role of the lats and surrounding muscles
Tightness doesn’t always show up where you expect it.
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are large muscles that connect the arms to the spine and pelvis. When they do not lengthen or “let go” effectively, they can limit the freedom of the arms to move overhead.
When that happens, other muscles often step in to compensate, especially the upper trapezius and neck muscles. This is where students may start to feel gripping, tension, or even pain.
Helping students experience the difference between effort and unnecessary holding can go a long way here.
The underrated role of the serratus anterior
One muscle that deserves more attention in yoga spaces is the serratus anterior. Located along the ribcage, it helps stabilize the shoulder blade, support upward rotation, and connect the arm to the trunk.
In many ways, it functions as part of the deeper core system.
When the serratus is not working effectively, stability often shifts elsewhere—usually to the neck, upper shoulders, or lower back. Building awareness and strength here can make a noticeable difference in weight-bearing poses like plank and downward-facing dog.
Understanding rib flare
Rib flare is another common pattern that shows up in yoga, especially in overhead movements and backbends.
Instead of the movement being distributed through the thoracic spine and shoulder joint, the front of the ribcage pushes forward.
This can create the appearance of a greater range of motion, but it comes at a cost:
The core becomes less stable.
The relationship between the ribs and pelvis is disrupted.
The shoulders lose a stable base to move from.
Over time, this can contribute to both instability and discomfort.
Helping students recognize and adjust this pattern, without over-restricting their breath or movement, is an important piece of the puzzle
What this means for teaching
When we shift the focus from “fixing the shoulder” to understanding the system around it, new options open up.
Instead of asking students to push deeper into a shape, we can guide them to:
Notice where the movement is coming from
Explore how the shoulder blades are moving
Access thoracic extension more intentionally
Balance effort and release in surrounding muscles
Build support through the serratus and core
These are subtle shifts, but they tend to create more sustainable change.
Want to explore this in person?
Jessica will break down these patterns in her 4-hour continuing education workshop, Thoracic Spine, Shoulders & Neck in Yoga Practice and Teaching, at Yoga Among Friends on Sunday, June 7.
Closing thought
Shoulder discomfort in yoga is not always just about the shoulder. It is often a reflection of how the ribs, spine, scapulae, core, and arms work together—or compensate for one another.
When students begin to feel that coordination, things often start to change. Not necessarily in how the pose looks from the outside, but in how supported, stable, and spacious it feels from the inside.
For teachers, this kind of understanding can be empowering. You do not need to have all the answers right away, but learning to see these patterns more clearly can help you make better choices in real time — in your cueing, your sequencing, and the way you support the students in front of you.
Common Questions Teachers Ask About Shoulder Pain in Yoga
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Shoulder and neck discomfort can come from several places, including limited thoracic mobility, restricted scapular movement, rib flare, tight lats, or compensation through the upper trapezius and neck.
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When the upper and mid-back cannot extend well, students may compensate by arching the lower back, pushing the ribs forward, or overworking the neck and shoulders.
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Teachers will explore how the thoracic spine, shoulders, neck, ribs, and scapulae work together in yoga movement, with practical tools for cueing, observing, and supporting students more effectively.
Learn More in Jessica’s Continuing Education Workshop
This is the kind of work Jessica will explore in her upcoming continuing education workshop, Thoracic Spine, Shoulders & Neck in Yoga Practice and Teaching, at Yoga Among Friends.
Teachers will look more closely at the thoracic spine, shoulders, neck, scapulae, rib mechanics, and common compensation patterns, with practical tools you can begin using in your classes right away.
This workshop is designed for yoga teachers who want to feel more confident working with shoulder and neck tension, overhead movement, and weight-bearing postures.
Workshop Details
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026
Time: 1–5 pm
Location: Yoga Among Friends, Downers Grove, IL
Teacher: Jessica Gonsiorowski
CEUs: 4 Hours
Questions about whether this workshop is right for you? Contact Yoga Among Friends.
About Jessica Gonsiorowski
Jessica Gonsiorowski is a Yoga Alliance–registered 500-hour teacher specializing in therapeutic yoga, functional movement, and anatomy-informed teaching. A former Yoga Among Friends teacher, Jessica brings deep knowledge and a familiar connection to this community.
Her teaching focuses on movement patterns and compensation, alignment, and efficiency in the body, therapeutic application in real time, and bridging traditional yoga with modern movement science.
Jessica is known for helping teachers see what is actually happening in the body and translate that understanding into clear, usable teaching. Her approach is practical, observant, supportive, and immediately applicable.
She creates a learning environment that is both professional and deeply approachable, helping teachers build confidence in their own voice, decision-making, and ability to support students with more clarity.
Learn more about Jessica at resilientlifeyogallc.com.
