Shoulder Rehab
Stretching Exercises
Pendulum Stretch
Goal: Loosens shoulder joint with minimal pain and effort
How to:
Lean forward slightly, supporting yourself with your good arm on a table or chair.
Let your affected arm hang down.
Gently swing your arm in small circles (about a foot in diameter).
Perform for 1–2 minutes in each direction (clockwise and counterclockwise).
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
How to:
Use your good arm to bring your affected arm across your chest.
Hold for 15–30 seconds.
Repeat 3–5 times.
Sleeper Stretch
Goal: Improves internal rotation and overall mobility
Lay on affected side with elbow bent and forwarm facing upwards to ceiling
Use unaffected hand to bend arm toward bed in inward motion
Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 3–5 times.
Wall Walk (Finger Walk) Stretch
Stand facing a wall and place your fingers on it at waist level.
Slowly "walk" your fingers up the wall as high as possible without pain.
Hold for 5–10 seconds, then lower slowly.
Repeat 10 times.
Goal: Improves external rotation and reduces stiffness
Hold a broomstick or resistance band with both hands in front of you.
Keep elbows at 90 degrees, and use your good arm to push the affected arm outward.
Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 3–5 times.
Strengthening Exercises
Scapular Retraction
How to:
Sit or stand with good posture.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together without shrugging.
Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10–15 times.
Isometric External Rotation
Muscles: Infraspinatus, teres minor
How to:
Stand with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, keeping it tucked against your side.
Press the back of your hand into a wall or resistance band without moving your arm.
Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times.
Isometric Internal Rotation
Muscles: Subscapularis
How to:
Stand with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, keeping it tucked against your side.
Press the palm of your hand into a wall or resistance band without moving your arm.
Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times.
Standing Internal Rotation
Muscles: Subscapularis
How to:
Use a resistance band attached to a doorknob.
Stand with your elbow at 90 degrees and tucked against your side.
Pull the band inward toward your belly, then slowly return.
Perform 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.
Standing External Rotation
Muscles: Subscapularis
How to:
Use a resistance band attached to a doorknob.
Stand with your elbow at 90 degrees and tucked against your side.
Pull the band outward, then slowly return.
Perform 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.
Full-Can Exercise
Muscles: Supraspinatus
How to:
Hold a light dumbbell (1-3 lbs) or resistance band with thumbs pointing up.
Raise your arms diagonally 45 degrees and lift to shoulder height then slowly lower
Perform 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.
