Home Exercises for the Weak Shoulder.

Strengthening and coordination

Supine press

• two hands (view diagram or movie)
• one hand (view movie)
• inclined press (view movie)
• sitting press (view movie)

The nice thing about these exercises are that you can do them by yourself and can adjust your rate of progress according to what is most comfortable for you. The series proceeds in small steps. Start by lying on your back, grasping a bar with both hands together. Push the bar straight up toward the ceiling. At the end of each push, lift your entire shoulder off the bed or floor. When you can do this 20 times easily, separate your hands an inch or so when you push the cloth toward the ceiling. This places slightly more of the load on the muscles of your weaker shoulder. As the exercise gets easier, separate your hands more on the washcloth until you can push your hand toward the ceiling without any assistance from the opposite arm. Practice this exercise with nothing in your hand until you are able to repeat it 20 times. Then take an empty pint container and perform the same movement, pushing it toward the ceiling. Add water to increase the resistance slowly. When the container is full of water, the weight is about one pound. Make sure that with each press-up you end by lifting your shoulder blade up off the bed or floor. Be sure that you can perform the movement comfortably 20 times at each stage before advancing to the next stage. When you can press one pound toward the ceiling 20 times, the next step is to perform the exercise with your back propped up slightly on pillows or by using a recliner or garden chair. When 20 comfortable repetitions are possible, increase the degree to which your back is propped up. At each level, push the shoulder all the way up: "press plus". Continue this process until you are able to push the one pound weight 20 times toward the ceiling in a sitting position. Work for smooth, slow, controlled motions. This program optimizes the mechanics of your shoulder and gives you the best chance of regaining good function.

You should add other strengthening exercises as your shoulder permits.

Rotator cuff strengthening exercises

Diagrams:

• Internal rotation
• External rotation

Movies:

• Internal Rotation
  • Isometrics
  • Tubing
  • Free weight
• External rotation
  • Free weight
  • Isometrics

Shoulder shrugs to strengthen trapezius

• Shoulder shrug (view diagram or movie)

Other important strengthening exercises

• Rhomboids movie
• Flies movie
• Stiff arm pull movie
• Table push ups movie

Coordination exercises

• Balance movie
• Two hand catch movie

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