Shoulder Rehab

Maintaining mobility in the shoulder joint is crucial for managing pain and improving stability. By enhancing your range of motion, you boost flexibility, thus cut down inflammation and discomfort.

Stretching Exercises

Strengthening Exercises

Stretching Exercises

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).

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).

How to:

Goal: Loosens shoulder joint with minimal pain and effort

Pendulum Stretch

Use your good arm to bring your affected arm across your chest.
Hold for 15–30 seconds.
Repeat 3–5 times.

Use your good arm to bring your affected arm across your chest.
Hold for 15–30 seconds.
Repeat 3–5 times.

How to:

Goal: Stretches the posterior shoulder capsule and improves flexibility

Goal: Stretches the posterior shoulder capsule and improves
flexibility

Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

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.

How to

How to:

Goal: Improves internal rotation and overall mobility

Sleeper Stretch

Towel Stretch

Hold a towel behind your back with both hands (one overhead, one behind your
lower back).
Pull the towel gently upward with the top hand to stretch the affected shoulder.
Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 3–5 times.

Hold a towel behind your back with both hands (one overhead, one behind your
lower back).
Pull the towel gently upward with the top hand to stretch the affected shoulder.
Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 3–5 times.

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.

How to

How to:

Goal: Gradually increases range of motion with controlled movement

Goal: Gradually increases range of motion with controlled
movement

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.

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.

How to

How to:

Goal: Improves external rotation and reduces stiffness

External Rotation & Abduction Stretch with a Stick

External Rotation with a Stick

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources

Strengthening Exercises

Sit or stand with good posture.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together without shrugging.
Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10–15 times.

How to:

Muscles: Rhomboids, middle/lower traps (supports rotator cuff)

Muscles: Rhomboids, middle/lower traps

Scapular Retraction

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.

How to:

Muscles: Infraspinatus, teres minor

Isometric External Rotation

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.

How to:

Muscles: Subscapularis

Isometric Internal Rotation

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.

How to:

Muscles: Subscapularis

Standing Internal Rotation

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.

How to:

Muscles: Subscapularis

Standing External Rotation

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.

How to:

Muscles: Supraspinatus

Full-Can Exercise

Need more exercises, check out Hep2Go.com for more resources