Medical knowledge, Patient Education

Acromioclavicular Separation Rehab

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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 and stiffness.

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.
This is a shoulder exercise in which 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 forward 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, seated

A person sitting in a chair with an arm resting on the table. Person slides hand forward until stretch is felt in shoulder.
This is a form of shoulder exercise in which you raise an arm in front of your body 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 slide your hand forward until you feel a stretch in your shoulder (flexion).

    • You can move your chair farther away from the surface to increase the stretch by bending forward more, if needed.

  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

A person squeezing her shoulder blades together while holding an exercise band that has been secured to a stable object.
In this exercise, the shoulder blades (scapulae) are pulled toward each other and toward the spine.

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

  2. Secure an exercise band to a stable object in front of you so the band is at shoulder height.

  3. Hold one end of the exercise band in each hand.

  4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together (scapular retraction) and move your elbows slightly behind you. Do not shrug your shoulders upward while you do this.

  5. Hold for __________ seconds.

  6. Slowly return to the starting position.

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

Shoulder abduction

A person stands holding a weight in one hand. Person slowly lifts that hand out to the side, keeping arm straight.
In this exercise, you raise your arm and shoulder so that they move away from the center of the body (abduction), toward the outside.

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

  2. If directed, hold a __________ lb / kg weight in your left / right hand.

  3. Start with your arms straight down. Turn your left / right hand so your palm faces in, toward your body.

  4. Slowly lift your left / right hand out to your side. Do not lift your hand above shoulder height.

    • Keep your arms straight.

    • Avoid shrugging your shoulder upward while you do this movement. Keep your shoulder blade tucked down toward the middle of your back.

  5. Hold for __________ seconds.

  6. Slowly lower your arm and return to the starting position.

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

Scapular protraction, standing

A person placing her hands on a wall, elbows straight. She pushes upper back away from wall to slide shoulder blades forward.
In this exercise, you move the shoulder blades away from each other, and away from the spine (protraction). This is the opposite of retraction.

  1. Stand so you are facing a wall. Place your feet about one arm-length away from the wall.

  2. Place your hands on the wall in front of you and straighten your elbows.

  3. Keep your hands on the wall as you push your upper back away from the wall. You should feel your shoulder blades sliding forward around your rib cage. Keep your elbows and your head still.

  4. Hold for __________ seconds.

  5. Slowly return to the starting position. Let your muscles relax completely before you repeat this exercise.

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.

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