Codman's pendulum exercises are designed to help rehabilitate your shoulder following injury, according to the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma. Since the shoulder is widely regarded by medical professionals as the most flexible joint in your body, it is also one of the most-easily injured. Codman's exercises are designed to help restore flexibility and stability to the muscles of your shoulder, the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. Be sure that you check with your doctor before undertaking any rehabilitative exercise program.
Pendulum Exercise One
This exercise is commonly prescribed as the first pendulum exercise following shoulder injury. Its purpose is to help restore range of motion while simultaneously relaxing any muscles that have developed tension as a result of the injury. Lie down on your stomach on a bench or table with your injured arm hanging over the side freely. Consciously relax the muscles of your neck, arm and shoulder; use a very gentle motion to start swinging your arm to the front and back. Begin with short swings of about 15 degrees and increase the swing angle as pain allows. Specialists at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma recommend beginning with 15 seconds of this exercise and increasing it over time to several minutes.
Pendulum Exercise Two
Perform the second Codman pendulum exercise from the same lying position as the first Codman pendulum exercise, or this can be done while standing and bending over at your waist. The difference is this exercise should focus on swings that result in your hand traveling in a circular motion instead of a back-and-forth motion, according to shoulder surgeon Dr. Aubrey Smith. Perform this exercise for 30 rotations in a clockwise motion followed by 30 seconds of swinging your arm in a counter-clockwise motion, Smith notes.
Pendulum Exercise Three
As your shoulder becomes more stable and flexible, you should begin to swing your shoulder in different motions and directions, according to certified strength and conditioning specialist David Edell of the Houston Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Clinic. Edell recommends letting your arm hang freely and beginning by swinging it back and forth, then in a circular motion and then in a side-to-side motion. As your shoulder gets stronger, you can begin forming squares and even crosses while performing this exercise.
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