Shoulder Separation Rehabilitation Exercises

Phase I

• Wand exercises
  1. Flexion: Stand upright and hold a stick in both hands, palms down. Stretch your arms by lifting them over your head, keeping your elbows straight. Hold for 5 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
  2. Extension: Stand upright and hold a stick in both hands behind your back. Move the stick away from your back. Hold the end position for 5 seconds. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
  3. External rotation: Lie on your back and hold a stick in both hands, palms up. Your upper arms should be resting on the floor, your elbows at your sides and bent 90°. Using your good arm, push your injured arm out away from your body while keeping the elbow of the injured arm at your side. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
  4. Internal rotation: Stand upright holding a stick with both hands behind your back. Place the hand on your uninjured side behind your head grasping the stick, and the hand on your injured side behind your back at your waist. Move the stick up and down your back by bending your elbows. Hold the bent position for 5 seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
  5. Shoulder abduction and adduction: Stand upright and hold a stick with both hands, palms down. Rest the stick against the front of your thighs. While keeping your elbows straight, use your good arm to push your injured arm out to the side and up as high as possible. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
  6. Horizontal abduction and adduction: Stand upright and hold a stick in both hands. Place your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder level. Keep your arms straight and swing the stick to one side, feel the stretch, and hold for 5 seconds. Then swing the stick to the other side, feel the stretch, and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
• Shoulder flexion: Stand with your arms hanging down at your side. Keep your elbow straight and lift your arms up over your head as far as you can reach. Hold the end position for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10.
• Shoulder abduction and adduction: Stand with your arms at your sides. Bring your arms up, out to the side, and toward the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
• Horizontal shoulder abduction and adduction: Stand with your arms held straight out in front of you at shoulder level. Pull your arms apart and out to the sides as far as possible. Hold them back for 5 seconds, then bring them back together in front of you. Repeat 10 times. Remember to keep your arms at shoulder level throughout this exercise.
• Shoulder extension: Stand with your arms at your side. Move the arm on your injured side back, keeping your elbow straight. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times.
• Scapular range of motion: Stand and shrug your shoulders up and hold for 5 seconds. Then squeeze your shoulder blades back and together and hold 5 seconds. Next, pull your shoulder blades downward as if putting them in your back pocket. Relax. Repeat this sequence 10 times.

Phase II

• Sidelying horizontal abduction: Lie on your uninjured side with your injured arm relaxed across your chest. Slowly bring your injured arm up off the floor, elbow straight, so that your hand is pointing toward the ceiling. Do 3 sets of 10. Hold a weight in your hand as the exercise becomes easier.
• Prone shoulder extension: Lie on your stomach on a table or a bed with the arm on your injured side hanging down over the edge. With your elbow straight, slowly lift your arm straight back and toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10. As this becomes easier, hold a weight in your hand.
• Single arm shoulder abduction: Stand with your arms at your sides with your palms resting against your sides. With your elbow straight, lift the arm on your injured side out to the side and toward the ceiling. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Add a weight to your hand as this exercise becomes easier.
• Tubing exercises
  1. Internal rotation: Using tubing connected to a door knob or other object at waist level, keep your elbow in at your side and rotate your arm inward across your body. Make sure you keep your forearm parallel to the floor. Do 3 sets of 10.
  2. External rotation: Using tubing connected to a door knob or other object at waist level, keep your elbow in at your side and rotate your arm outward away from your body. Make sure you keep your forearm parallel to the floor. Do 3 sets of 10.
  3. Adduction: Stand sideways with your injured side toward the door and out approximately 8 to 10 inches. Slowly bring your arm next to your body holding onto the tubing for resistance. Do 3 sets of 10.
  4. Flexion: Facing away from the door with the tubing connected to the door knob, keep your elbow straight and pull your arm forward. Do 3 sets of 10.
  5. Extension: Using the tubing, pull your arm back. Be sure to keep your elbow straight. Do 3 sets of 10.
• 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.