Exercises To Help Manage Shoulder Injury |
| Weight Bearing Exercises for the Shoulder |
Weight bearing exercises are important in shoulder recovery. The shoulder blade (scapula) provides the socket to your shoulder, and the upper arm bone (humerus) provides the ball. The ball and socket joint is called your glenohumeral joint. The shoulder joint functions like a “ball on a seal’s nose”. As the ball or humeral head moves, the seals nose (scapula) needs to move to maintain the position of the ball on the socket. You must have efficient shoulder blade movement on the rib cage to support the arm and to regain the function of your shoulder girdle. |
| Important Physiotherapy Note: |
Only do the appropriate stage of exercises as prescribed by your Physical Therapist. This will help prevent overloading and reinjury to the shoulder while it is healing. |
| Physical Therapy Stage 1: Range of Motion from 0 to 90 degrees. |
In a kneeling position with the ball on the floor, place a hand on the ball and move your arm into the scapular plane. Push body weight through your shoulder into the ball. |
| Variations: |
Static loading (push and hold for 10 seconds) | Protraction and Retraction (move shoulder blade forward and backwards) | Elevation and Depression (move shoulder blade up and down) | Clock (9, 12, 3, 6) |
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| Physical Therapy Stage 2: Range of Motion at 90 degrees. |
In standing, put a hand on the wall with your arm in a scapular plane. Then do the same exercise variations as in stage 1. Once these are comfortable, put the ball on the wall, and repeat the same exercises as stage 1. |
| Physical Therapy Stage 3: Range of Motion is greater than 100 degrees. |
On the floor in a push up position with the ball. Keep the trunk stiff, by tightening your abdominals (T.A.) and buttock muscles. Retract the shoulder blades down and in. Now move the body on the ball, while the hands remain fixed on the floor. |
| Variations: |
Forwards and backwards | Side to side | Circles lift and right | Once this is easy, try to do it with only one hand on the floor. | Repeat the same drills as above, in stage 1. | Wash the Wall Drill |
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| Physiotherapy Suggestions |
You must identify and treat the problem. | The quality of the movement is the most important factor when doing shoulder exercises. Do not be concerned with load and repetitions. | Stop when you can not execute the exercise perfectly. | The patient should feel in control at all times while doing the exercise. | General shoulder exercises stand a good chance of compounding the problem. |
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Nose Creek Physical Therapist Modified Gym Strengthening Program for Shoulder Rehabilitation |
