Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises. Stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range-of-motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your shoulder. The exercises also help to relieve pain.

Pendulum

A person bends at the waist next to a table and dangles one arm. Person relaxes arm and moves torso to make arm swing.
In this exercise, you let the injured arm dangle toward the floor and then swing it like a clock pendulum.

  1. Stand near a wall or a surface that you can hold onto for balance.

  2. Bend at the waist and let your left / right arm hang straight down. Use your other arm to keep your balance.

  3. Relax your arm and shoulder muscles, and move your hips and your trunk so your left / right arm swings freely. Your arm should swing because of the motion of your body, not because you are using your arm or shoulder muscles.

  4. Keep moving your hips and trunk so your arm swings in the following directions, as told by your health care provider:

    • Side to side.

    • Forward and backward.

    • In clockwise and counterclockwise circles.

  5. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Shoulder flexion, standing

A person holding a stick with healthy arm palm-down and the other palm-up. The healthy arm pushes stick to raise other arm.
In this exercise, you raise your arm in front of your body (flexion) until you feel a stretch in your injured shoulder.

  1. Stand and hold a broomstick, a cane, or a similar object with your hands. Place your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart on the object. Your left / right hand should be palm-up, and your other hand should be palm-down.

  2. Push the stick up with your healthy arm to raise your left / right arm in front of your body, and then over your head. Use your other hand to help move the stick. Stop when you feel a stretch in your shoulder, or when you reach the angle that is recommended by your health care provider.

    • Avoid shrugging your shoulder while you raise your arm. Keep your shoulder blade tucked down toward your spine.

  3. Hold for __________ seconds.

  4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Shoulder flexion, seated

A person sitting in a chair with an arm resting on the table. Person slides hand forward until stretch is felt in shoulder.
In this exercise, you slide your arm in front of you on a table until you feel a stretch in your injured shoulder.

  1. Sit in a stable chair and rest your left / right forearm on a flat surface. Your elbow should rest at a height that keeps your upper arm next to your body.

  2. Keeping your left / right shoulder relaxed, lean forward at the waist and let your hand slide forward (flexion). Stop when you feel a stretch in your shoulder, or when you reach the angle that is recommended by your health care provider.

  3. Hold for __________ seconds.

  4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your shoulder. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Scapular retraction

This is an exercise in which you pull both shoulders backward and downward (retraction).

  1. Stand with your arms at your sides. Look straight ahead.

  2. Slowly pull both shoulders (scapulae) backward and downward (retraction) until you feel a stretch between your shoulder blades in your upper back.

  3. Hold for 10–30 seconds.

  4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Internal rotation, isometric

A person standing in a doorway with palm of hand against the door frame, pressing the frame as if trying to touch his belly.
This is an exercise in which you press your palm against a door frame without moving your shoulder joint (isometric).

  1. Stand or sit in a doorway, facing the door frame.

  2. Bend your left / right elbow and place the palm of your hand against the door frame. Only your palm should be touching the frame. Keep your upper arm at your side.

  3. Gently press your hand against the door frame as if you are trying to push your arm toward your abdomen (internal rotation). Gradually increase the pressure until you are pressing as hard as you can. Stop increasing the pressure if you feel shoulder pain.

    • Avoid shrugging your shoulder while you press your hand into the door frame. Keep your shoulder blade tucked down toward the middle of your back.

  4. Hold for __________ seconds.

  5. Slowly release the tension, and relax your muscles completely before you repeat the exercise.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

External rotation, isometric

Person standing in a doorway with back of wrist against door frame, pressing frame as if trying to push away from her belly.
This is an exercise in which you press the back of your wrist against a door frame without moving your shoulder joint (isometric).

  1. Stand or sit in a doorway, facing the door frame.

  2. Bend your left / right elbow and place the back of your wrist against the door frame. Only the back of your wrist should be touching the frame. Keep your upper arm at your side.

  3. Gently press your wrist against the door frame, as if you are trying to push your arm away from your abdomen (external rotation). Gradually increase the pressure until you are pressing as hard as you can. Stop increasing the pressure if you feel pain.

    • Avoid shrugging your shoulder while you press your wrist into the door frame. Keep your shoulder blade tucked down toward the middle of your back.

  4. Hold for __________ seconds.

  5. Slowly release the tension, and relax your muscles completely before you repeat the exercise.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Internal rotation, isotonic

A person holding a secured exercise band away from her side at elbow height. She slowly moves forearm in toward abdomen.
This is an exercise in which you use an exercise band and gently rotate your forearm toward your body (internal rotation) while moving your shoulder joint (isotonic).

  1. Sit in a stable chair without armrests, or stand up.

  2. Secure an exercise band at elbow height at your left / right side.

  3. Place a soft object, such as a folded towel or a small pillow, between your left / right upper arm and your body to move your elbow about 4 inches (10 cm) away from your side.

  4. Hold the end of the exercise band so it stretches with slight tension.

  5. Keeping your elbow pressed against the soft object, slowly move your forearm in, toward your abdomen (internal rotation). Keep your body steady so the movement is only coming from your shoulder.

  6. Hold for __________ seconds.

  7. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

External rotation, isotonic

A person holding secured exercise band in front of his body at elbow height. He slowly moves forearm out, away from abdomen.
This is an exercise in which you use an exercise band and gently rotate your forearm away from your body (external rotation) while moving your shoulder joint (isotonic).

  1. Sit in a stable chair without armrests, or stand up.

  2. Secure an exercise band at elbow height on your left / right side.

  3. Place a soft object, such as a folded towel or a small pillow, between your left / right upper arm and your body to move your elbow about 4 inches (10 cm) away from your side.

  4. Hold the end of the exercise band so it stretches with slight tension.

  5. Keeping your elbow pressed against the soft object, slowly move your forearm out, away from your abdomen (external rotation). Keep your body steady so the movement is only coming from your shoulder.

  6. Hold for __________ seconds.

  7. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.