In a method for acquiring magnetic resonance signals from a first shoulder or an opposite second shoulder of a patient, a shoulder coil anterior part and a shoulder coil posterior part are provided. A base plate is engageable with a moveable support element connecting the shoulder coil posterior part to the base plate to permit lateral movement and 90 degree rotation of the shoulder coil posterior part. With the base plate beneath the patient, the shoulder coil posterior part is placed below the first shoulder and the shoulder coil anterior part is placed above the first shoulder to permit acquisition of magnetic resonance measurements. To acquire signals from the opposite second shoulder, the shoulder coil posterior part is moved across the base plate to be positioned beneath the second shoulder and is rotated by 90 degrees. The shoulder coil anterior part is placed above the rotated shoulder coil posterior part.