Pendulum Exercises For Upper Extremities

Your shoulder is one of the most flexible joints in your body, which is why it's also susceptible to serious injury. If you have a sprained shoulder, have recently had shoulder surgery, or are experiencing pain and discomfort in the area, you may benefit from pendulum exercises. Talk to a doctor if you experience sharp, severe pain in your shoulder or arm as you these exercises as it could be an indication of a more serious condition.

Benefits

Arm pendulum exercises help improve range of motion in your shoulder and arm. These exercises can also help reduce pain, improve flexibility in the shoulder and help the muscles used to move the shoulder and arms feel more relaxed. Pendulum exercises are also easy to do and require little to no equipment.

Types

The various pendulum exercises for the arm and shoulder differ only in the direction in which you're swinging your arm. You can swing it in a side-to-side pendulum motion, a circular motion or in a back and forth motion. These motions are designed to target the different directions your arm can move due to the flexibility of your shoulder.

Instructions

Performing pendulum exercises is relatively easy compared to many other physical therapy exercises. To start, find a sturdy object such as a chair or table. Lean forward on the table with your good arm, resting your weight on that arm. Bend at the waist and let your injured arm hang. Relax the arm and shoulder muscles. Swing your body back and forth, causing your arm to swing in the same direction. Repeat, letting your arm swing from side to side and then in a circle. You may also perform these pendulum exercises in a prone, or face-down, position while you are lying on a bed or cot.

Considerations

Perform the pendulum exercises three times a day for 5 to 10 minutes at a time, according to Mount Nittany Medical Center. Your doctor may have more specific instructions regarding the frequency and intensity of the exercises, depending on the severity of your injury or the progress of your recovery. Follow your doctor's instructions and inform him if you experience unusual pain, numbness or other strange sensations while performing the exercises.