Can't Reach Behind Your Back or Overhead? Treatment in Mineola, NY

MULLIGAN CONCEPT

Limited Overhead Reach or Reaching Behind the Back

Reaching behind your back to tuck in a shirt, fasten a bra or reach a back pocket, and lifting your arm overhead to a shelf, are often the first movements a painful shoulder loses and the last to come back. At Enhanced Physical Therapy in Mineola, we use the Mulligan hand-behind-back technique and shoulder mobilization with movement, which a randomized trial found can improve this movement.

Certified Mulligan Practitioner Over 10 Years of Experience

Our clinics director is a Certified Mulligan Practitioner (CMP) with over a decade
of experience using this evidence-based approach. Each treatment is customized to
your specific diagnosis and movement limitations to achieve optimal outcomes.

Common signs of limited overhead reach or reaching behind the back

Trouble reaching behind your back to tuck in a shirt or fasten a bra
Can't reach your back pocket or wash your back
Can't lift your arm fully overhead
Pain at the end of the reach
One arm reaches much less than the other

What causes it

Loss of these movements comes with rotator cuff irritation, frozen shoulder, arthritis, shoulder surgery and long periods of keeping the arm still. It can also follow breast cancer surgery or radiation.

How we examine it

Before any hands-on treatment, we ask about your health and screen for anything that needs a doctor first. We measure how far each hand reaches behind your back and overhead, test strength and look at the neck and upper back. Then we test the hand-behind-back MWM and an overhead glide during the visit.

Mulligan techniques we use

Hand-behind-back MWM. Dr. Kurian holds a gentle glide at the shoulder while you slide your hand up your back, sometimes with a towel to help.
Overhead shoulder MWM. A glide while you lift your arm overhead.
Self-MWM with a belt or towel. A home version so you keep gaining reach between visits.
Mulligan taping. Tape to hold the improvement.

What the research says

A randomized trial (Satpute 2015) found the hand-behind-back MWM improved reaching behind the back and reduced pain in people with acute shoulder pain. A 2024 trial in women after breast cancer surgery found Mulligan techniques plus muscle energy techniques improved arm function. Reviews of shoulder MWM rate certainty as low to moderate.

What else is in your treatment plan

Your plan includes Mulligan techniques, a home reaching routine, rotator cuff and shoulder blade strengthening and practice of the daily tasks that matter to you.

How long recovery takes

Many people gain reach within a few visits. Lasting change usually takes 4 to 8 weeks.

If you are over 65

Reaching behind your back and overhead matters for dressing, bathing and reaching shelves. Shoulder stiffness after breast cancer surgery or radiation is also common in older women, and we coordinate with your oncology team before starting.

When to see a doctor first

Call your doctor, or get urgent care, if you have any of the following:

Sudden loss of movement after a fall
Arm swelling, especially after breast cancer surgery: tell your care team
Fever or a hot, swollen shoulder
Chest pain or shortness of breath: call 911
Numbness or weakness down the arm

Limited overhead reach or reaching behind the back treatment near Mineola

Enhanced Physical Therapy is at 137 Willis Ave, Suite 100, Mineola, NY 11501, a short walk from NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island. We see patients from Mineola, Garden City, Williston Park, New Hyde Park, Carle Place, Westbury, Albertson and Manhasset, and across central Nassau County.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I reach behind my back anymore?

This movement needs a lot of shoulder rotation and is often lost first with shoulder pain or stiffness.

Can you help after breast cancer surgery?

Yes, once your surgeon or oncology team clears you. We coordinate with them.

Will stretching behind my back help?

Forced stretching can flare pain. Guided, pain-free movement usually works better.

Can I do this at home?

Yes. We teach you a towel or belt version to practice daily.

Written and clinically reviewed by Jacob Kurian, PT, MSPT, CMP, DPT, Certified Mulligan Practitioner, Enhanced Physical Therapy, Mineola NY. Last updated October 14, 2026.

Move Better, Feel Better

If this is limiting your work, sleep or activity, call Enhanced Physical Therapy at (516) 833-5880 to book an evaluation with Jacob Kurian, Certified Mulligan Practitioner. Mulligan treatment may help reduce pain and improve movement, and we will tell you honestly what to expect.