Are wall angels supposed to be difficult?

I learned about an exercise called a “Wall Angel” today from a programmer who’d struggled with back, shoulder, and arm pain. I suffer from none of those, but I do have a quick morning stretching routine that I try to stick to. I’m always curious if there’s something I can add to the mix.

What’s a wall angel?

Technically, yes.

The exercise, though, is like a snow angel, but performed up against a wall.

It took me a few search links to find something that would just tell me that, instead of trying to impose draconian cookie requirements or glitchy, non-functioning videos. I found it on LiveStrong,

“It’s a shoulder exercise that involves standing against a wall and raising your arms overhead in an arcing motion, much like making a snow angel.”

OK. I guess there’s not much to it.

It’s a good thing that it’s so easy because the video isn’t working there either.

Then, near the bottom, I see:

“Why Do Wall Angels Feel So Hard?

“Reaching your arms overhead demands ​a lot​ of upper-back and shoulder mobility.

“Think of this mobility as a combination of flexibility, strength and muscular control. And all three of these are things we tend to lack.”

WTF?

Was this written by an AI? Or did I miss a memo? Is raising your arms over your head considered a strenuous activity now?

I’m looking at a picture of a very healthy-looking, veiny-armed individual for whom standing up and putting his arms up shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.

I’ve not added this to my morning stretching routine. I’m already reaching for the sky anyway. Mission accomplished.