Your rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that form a cap over the top end of your arm bone to keep it securely in the shoulder socket while allowing it to rotate. It can be injured by a traumatic event, but this usually happens as a result of years of overuse. Anyone who does repetitive overhead movements, such as baseball or tennis players, is at risk. Mild injuries are resolved with physical therapy, and the pendulum exercise plays an important role.
The Exercise
To do the pendulum exercise, simply lean forward and let your arms dangle freely. Slowly begin to swing them back and forth, taking three seconds to lift and six seconds to lower. Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed, and lift your arms only as high as you can go without pain. After a couple of minutes, your shoulders should loosen up and withstand movement without as much pain.
Purpose
The pendulum exercise is used first as a range of motion exercise to help you regain free movement in the injured shoulder after weeks of immobility. As your shoulder becomes stronger, it is used as a gentle stretch and a warm-up for more intense, weighted rehabilitation exercises. Of course, many athletes use the pendulum exercise as a shoulder stretch as well.
Variations
For rehabilitation, follow your doctor's instructions. If you have a weak lower back, bending only slightly forward and using the "good" arm to support your weight on a table can take the strain off your back while you do the exercise. If you are physically fit, you can stand with your feet wide, bend over forward and swing both arms in circles to stretch the rotator cuff. If you are not flexible enough to bend all the way down, lean one elbow on your knee, and only circle one arm at a time.
Alternatives
If the pendulum exercise is no longer working, you may have moved beyond the effectiveness threshold. Talk to your doctor about wider range of motion exercise like the Supine Rotator Cuff stretch and the Supine Snow Angel exercise. Both of these moves work in only one direction at a time, but they utilize a larger range of motion and force you to use muscular control. If you are recovering from an injury, always get your doctor's okay before changing your rehabilitation exercises.
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