The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the human body. It has a wide range of motion that enables you to extend it, retract it, depress it and flex it. When the rotator cuff tendons and subacromial bursa sac are pinched between the shoulder bones, shoulder impingement syndrome can take place.
The rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles that surround the shoulder joint. The subacromial bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a shock absorber at the shoulder joint.
Shoulder impingement is probably to blame if you experience pain from your shoulder to the side of your arm while lifting your arm up in the air during daily activities. The condition is generally caused by repetitive overhead movements in sports like swimming and tennis or professions like painting and paper hanging.
To treat shoulder impingement, there are several exercises you can do. After doing these exercises for a few weeks, you should slowly start to regain your normal range of motion and your pain should subside. But before you start the exercises, consult your doctor.
Pendulums
Codman's pendulum swings are done on a table. Lie across it with your affected arm hanging straight down. Use your other arm to brace yourself. Swing your arm in small circles, then change directions, then go side to side and then back and forth. Do this 30 times for each movement. When you first start doing these, keep the extension of your arm to no more than 12 inches. You can also hold a 1 to 2 pound dumbbell in your hand for a little more resistance.
Squeezes
Lie on your back on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent. Place your arms out to your sides with your palms up and about 6 to 12 inches from your hips. Without shrugging your shoulders towards your head, squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, do 20 reps and do 2 to 3 sets throughout the course of the day.
Corner Stretch
Face a corner in your house where there are no obstructions. Lift your arms up in the air so your elbows are bent 90 degrees and your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Your palms should be facing out and your arms should be in line with your body. Walk into the corner and place each arm on each wall. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the chest and the upper shoulder area. Hold for 5 to 7 seconds and do 5 to 10 sets. (See Reference 2.)
Extension
Lie face down on a table with your affected arm hanging straight down. Turn your thumb and arm outward as far as you comfortably can. With your arm still straight, lift it up toward your hip and do not go any higher than that. Lower it back down and repeat 10 to 15 times. Do 3 sets total.
External Rotations
Attach a rubber resistance band to a doorknob. Stand perpendicular to the door with your unaffected side toward it. Grab the handle of the band with your affected arm and pull it across your body until you feel slight tension. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, release and repeat 5 to 10 times. Make sure to keep your upper arm tight against your body the whole time. To give yourself a cue, place a towel under your arm and do not let it fall.
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