Rotator cuff injuries are shoulder injuries that affect the four small muscles that hold your shoulder in place. Tears to these muscles, the subscapularis, supraspinatus, teres minor and infraspinatus, often require surgical reconstruction and exercise. Always consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program to rehabilitate injuries.
Internal Isometric Rotation
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles that rotate your arm toward your body and can be performed without painful motion in your shoulder. Stand near an outside wall corner with your body close enough to the wall that you can bend the elbow of your injured arm to about a 90-degree angle and touch the wall with your hand. Hold your lower arm parallel to the floor and press on the wall with the palm of your hand. The website Shoulder-Pain-Management recommends that you repeat this exercise 10 times, or as prescribed by your physician.
Standing Shoulder Extensions
This exercise can be performed either using weights or with your body weight acting as the resistance, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides with your palms facing your body. Hold a dumbbell in each hand if you're using weights when performing this exercise. Extend your arm away from your body by raising it straight out to the side with your elbow straight. Be sure that you only lift your arm as far as you can without pain. This exercise should be repeated for the number of repetitions set by your doctor or therapist.
Shoulder Blade Squeeze
This exercise is designed to help strength and flexibility return to the front and rear of your shoulders. It is performed by standing with your feet about shoulder width apart and both arms bent at a 90-degree angle with your elbows at your sides. Pull your elbows to the rear, squeezing both shoulder blades together. Doctors at the Camino Medical Group in California suggest that this exercise should be performed as if you were trying to grab a pencil with your shoulder blades. They recommend you perform two sets of 10 repetitions daily, or as prescribed by your doctor.
