Shoulder exercises

Our rehabilitation programs are intentionally quite simple and use minimal equipment. This avoids confusion and enables our patients to perform them just about anywhere. We often use these exercises for the non-operative management of various shoulder conditions as well as in different stages of post-surgical rehabilitation.

Videos showing our approach to stretching can be seen in this link. Videos showing our approach to strengthening can be seen in this link.

These exercises are shown here for illustrative purposes only. Be sure to consult your treating physician to see what exercises may be appropriate for your shoulder.

Here's the ream and run rehab program (click on this link).

Click on the underlined text to see a video of the exercise.



*Exercises to help gain passive elevation of the arm

    A. Forward Elevation: Supine

    B. Forward Elevation: Forward Lean

    C. Forward Elevation: Over Door Pulley

For stretching exercises, be sure to hold the stretch for a full two minutes.

*Exercises to stretch the posterior shoulder

    E. Cross Body Adduction

    F. Internal Rotation Up Back
    G. Internal Rotation Lying On Your Side 

*Exercise to build strength of the shoulder

    H. Supine Press with Progressive Incline

*Traction exercises

   I. Rowing Machine Exercise

   J. Pull Down Bar Exercise 

*Other exercises

  K. Activating deltoid by controlled descent with pulley

  L. Abduction stretching - the sideways lean

  M. Using the pulley to gently cycle the shoulder

 N. Using the pulley to raise the arm up and then trying to control its descent.

!A word of caution about exercises to avoid is shown here.

Comments/suggestions welcome at shoulderarthritis@uw.edu.

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Here are some videos that are of shoulder interest
Shoulder arthritis - what you need to know (see this link).
How to x-ray the shoulder (see this link).
The ream and run procedure (see this link).
The total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The cuff tear arthropathy arthroplasty (see this link).
The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The smooth and move procedure for irreparable rotator cuff tears (see this link).
Shoulder rehabilitation exercises (see this link).