Rotator Cuff Strain Rehabilitation Exercises

Rotator Cuff Strain Rehabilitation Exercises

You may do all of these exercises right away.

Scapular range of motion: Shrug your shoulders up. Then squeeze your shoulder blades together. Then relax your shoulder blades down. Hold each position 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Do 3 sets.

Wand exercises

Shoulder flexion: Stand upright and hold a stick in both hands. Stretch your arms by lifting them over your head, keeping your elbows straight. Do not raise them past the point of pain. Hold that position for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Shoulder external rotation: Lie on your back and hold a stick in both hands with palms up. Your upper arms should be resting on the floor and your elbows at your sides, bent 90 degrees. Using your good arm, push your injured arm out away from your body while keeping the elbow of your injured side at your side. Hold this stretch for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Shoulder extension: Stand upright holding a stick in both hands behind your back. Move the stick away from your back. Hold the end position for 5 seconds and then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Isometrics

External rotation: Standing in a doorway with your elbow bent 90 degrees and the back of your hand pressing against the door frame, attempt to press your hand outward into the door frame. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Internal rotation: Standing in a doorway with your elbow bent 90 degrees and the front of your hand pressing against the door frame, attempt to press your palm into the door frame. Hold for 5 seconds. Rest. Repeat 10 times.

Tubing exercise for external rotation: Stand resting the hand of your injured side against your stomach. With that hand grasp tubing that is connected to a doorknob or other object at waist level. Keeping your elbow in at your side, rotate your arm outward and away from your waist. Make sure you keep your elbow bent 90 degrees and your forearm parallel to the floor. Repeat 10 times. Build up to 3 sets of 10.

Supraspinatus exercise: Standing with your arms at your sides and your thumbs pointed toward the floor, lean your trunk forward slightly. Lift your arms up and out from your sides, keeping your elbows straight. Lift your hands only to shoulder level. Hold 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Do 3 sets. Gradually add weight to your hands to increase your strength.