Page 1 of 7 Shoulder Exercises Instructions Do all exercises slowly and gently. Work hard, but stay within your level of comfort. Exercises should not cause sharp pain. If you have pain, ease up on the movement. If you still have pain, stop. Breathe in and out as you exercise. Do not hold your breath. Your therapist may show you how to add weight as you improve. Codmans Place your right/left arm on your knee for support. Let your right/left arm hang down. Do not control your arm, but let it swing side to side by shifting your weight from one foot to the other. For informational purposes only. Not to replace the advice of your health care provider. Copyright 2012 Fairview Health Services. All rights reserved. SMARTworks 521451 12/15.
Page 2 of 7 Cane exercises Lying down Overhead reach Keeping your arms straight, bring the cane overhead. Reach until you feel a stretch. Across the body Hold the cane with your right/left palm down. Place the other hand on the end of the cane. Use your right/left hand to push the cane across your body and up to the other side. Then pull back across body. Keep the cane aligned (parallel) with the floor and do not twist your trunk. Cane exercises Standing When you can do the cane exercises without pain, try them while standing.
Page 3 of 7 Shoulder blades Before each sitting or standing exercise, pull shoulder blades in and down in one motion. Neck stretch I Sitting upright, look toward right/left armpit. Hold head with hand to increase the stretch. Neck stretch II Sitting upright, tuck your chin. Tilt head to right/ left and press down the shoulder on the other side. Hold head with hand to increase the stretch.
Page 4 of 7 Shoulder blades I at wall Start with both hands on wall, elbows relaxed. Lean on right/left arm, pushing your hand into the wall. Keep shoulders level as you lift the other hand 1 inch off the wall. Shoulder blades II at wall Start with both hands on wall, elbows relaxed. Lean on right/left arm, pushing your hand into the wall. Keep shoulders level. Bring the other hand from right/left hip up and over shoulder and return to hip. Lead with thumb, head follows.
Page 5 of 7 Stable shoulder blades on hands and knees (Do this when you can easily do the wall exercises.) Start with your weight on your hands and knees. Pull your shoulder blades in. Lean on right/left arm, pushing hand into floor. Keep shoulders level as you lift your other hand 1 inch off the floor. Rowing seated Start sitting upright with feet on the floor and shoulders back. Grasp tubing (attached to an object) with both hands. Pull arms back as you bring shoulder blades in and down. Rowing standing Stand up straight with feet firmly on the ground and shoulders back. Hold tubing and pull arms back as you bring shoulder blades in and down.
Page 6 of 7 Side lying Arm internal rotation Lying on your side, keep lower elbow bent at 90 degrees. Raise hand toward stomach and slowly return to starting position. Arm external rotation Lying on your side, keep upper elbow bent at 90 degrees (place small towel roll under arm). Pull shoulder blade down and back. Raise hand away from stomach. Slowly return to starting position. Arms forward Start with hands at your sides. Lead with your thumbs as you raise arms forward. Do not let shoulders rise toward your ears. Raise your arms.
Page 7 of 7 Arms on an angle Start with hands at your sides. Lead with thumbs as you raise your arms. Arms are not directly to the side, but slightly forward. Keep shoulder blades in and down. Keep arms below shoulder level. Arms away from body (abduction) Start with hands at your sides. Keeping elbows straight and thumbs up, raise arms to shoulder level. Do not let shoulders rise up toward ears. Slowly return. Arms toward the body (adduction) Start with arms out to the side, keeping shoulder blades in and down. Keep elbows straight and thumbs up as you lower arms toward the body. Slowly return. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, please let us know. We provide many free services including sign language interpreters, oral interpreters, TTYs, telephone amplifiers, note takers and written materials.