Shoulder

Pendulum Arm Stretch

Standing, bend over at waist, hold free hand on knee or table top, then swing the injured arm holding a weight of five (5) pounds:

1. Clockwise
2. Counter Clockwise
3. Forward / Backward
4. Side to Side

Wand Flexion

Lying on back, grasp cane / stick with injured palm facing inward and with the other hand on the opposite end of the cane. Start at waist and bring cane up and over the head while keeping your arms straight, try to lay cane onto table.

Assisted Hyperextension

Standing, grasping a stick with both hands behind your back, push backward, good arm supplying the power.

Anterior Shoulder Stretch

Standing, grasp wrist of the injured arm with the good hand behind your back, slide hands up and down your back.

Wall Climb

1. Facing wall, stand about 2 feet away, begin by walking fingers up the wall as far as possible in order to obtain a shoulder stretch. Once maximum height is achieved, slowly step towards wall to increase stretch.

2. Standing with injured arm facing wall, perform finger climbing. When maximum height is achieved, slowly step towards wall to increase stretch.

Assisted External Rotation

Lying on back with elbows flexed to 90 degrees and held close to body, push injured hand outward, good arm supplying the power, through the use of a stick.

Triceps Dips

Standing, with hands behind back, grasp rail or table top. Slowly bend at knees and lower body to obtain a shoulder stretch. Note: Make sure handrail or table top is sturdy for exercise. This exercise is not recommended for patients with knee problems.

Towel Stretch

Standing, with hands holding towel behind head and neck, stretch shoulders as if drying your back.

1. With injured arm on top, pull down with good arm.

2. With injured arm on bottom, pull up with good arm.

Isometrics

The following exercises are designed to maintain muscle tone. It is important to note that in each isometric exercise no motion is allowed (i.e. motion is resisted and prevented by the good arm or an immovable object such as a door jam or wall).

External Rotators

Lying on back with elbows flexed to 90 degrees and held close to the body, grasp wrist of injured arm with good hand, attempt to move injured hand outward resisting motion with good hand. Do not allow the injured arm to move.

Standing – elbow flexed to 90 degrees and held close to body, attempt to push hand outward against door jam.

Standing, elbow flexed to 90 degrees and held close to body, attempt to press elbow backwards against a wall. Middle Deltoid

Standing, elbow flexed to 90 degrees and held close to body, attempt to move elbow out to side against a wall.
Anterior Deltoid

Standing, elbow flexed to 90 degrees and held close to body, push fist foward against wall.

Exercises With Elastic Band

The following exercises are designed to maintain and increase muscle tone. It is important to perform each exercise throughout the entire “pain – free” range of motion of the shoulder. In order to increase muscle tone, it is necessary to perform each exercise to fatigue.

Internal Rotation

Standing with elastic back around door knob, elbow flexed at 90 degrees and held close to body. Grasp elastic band with injured hand next to the door. Next, pull arm across waist as far as possible and hold for five seconds. Maintain elbow next to hip at all times. Repeat 5 times.

External Rotation

Turn around so that injured arm is away from the door (uninjured arm is towards the door). Push arm away from body as far as possible while keeping elbow next to hip. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Flexion

Standing with back to wall, grasp elastic band with injured arm and pull forward with arm straight. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Extension

Standing, facing a wall, grasp elastic band with injured arm and pull backward with arm straight. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Abduction

Standing, with good arm facing wall, grasp elastic band with injured arm and pull away from your body with arm straight. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Adduction

Standing with injured arm facing wall, grasp elastic band with injured arm and pull towards body with straight arm. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

One Arm Row

Standing, facing door, with shoulder at 90 degrees to body and elbow flexed at 90 degrees, pull elastic band backward. Note: elastic band should be at the same height as your shoulder. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.

Supraspinatus Exercises

Standing, with injured arm directly out to your side, move it forward 30 degrees. With the elastic band around your foot, grasp the band with your thumb facing downward and pull up to shoulder level. Hold for five seconds. Repeat 5 times.