Shoulders

It is best to consult a medical professional to determine extent of injury.  In the meantime, it is best to rest and use ice and limit painful activities, especially overhead activities.  Below are listed 10 exercises that you can do for shoulder pain.  Only perform these as tolerated…  Don’t overdo it!

10 Exercise to do for Shoulder Pain:

• Range of Motion (ROM): Repeat 20 times each direction as tolerated

  1. Lean on table with unaffected arm and swing affected arm in circles both ways

• Stretching: Hold 10 seconds repeat 5 times each.  Stop before pain.

  2. Facing wall, walk fingers of affected arm up the wall as high as you can.  If this is too painful or difficult, try the following exercise instead.   

3. Stand in open doorway.  Place hands on door frame about head height.  Lean forward through doorway.  Keep elbows down. 

4. Place a towel behind your back with your affected arm holding the towel at the bottom behind your back at about waist level and your unaffected arm behind your head holding the top of the towel.  Keep your affected arm relaxed, while your unaffected arm pulls up on the towel stretching your affected arm up behind your back. 

• Strengthening and Posture: Perform each exercise 10-15 repetitions.  Add up to 5 sets of each then add weights.  Use items such as water bottles if you do not have hand weights at home. 

• For the following exercises, lay face down on a table or other raised surface with your affected arm hanging over the edge.

5. Lift arm our to side with elbow bent as if rowing or starting a lawn mower

• For these exercises, slide over a little so just your forearm is hanging over the edge at shoulder height

6. Keep upper arm still and rotate hand up towards head

7. Keep upper arm still and rotate hand back towards waist

 

 

• For these following exercises stand in front of a mirror.  As you lift the arm, make sure your shoulders stay level and do not lift up towards your ears.

8. Lift both arms in front up to shoulder height with thumbs facing the ceiling

 

9. Lift both arms out to side to shoulder height with thumbs facing the ceiling

 

10. The following exercise is a push up with an extra push at the end extending your shoulders further elongating your arms.  Start with the first one and progress as able

• Push up with plus with hands on wall at shoulder height
• Push up with plus with hands on edge of table/chair
• Push up with plus from floor