The shoulder is comprised of many muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints which allow it to move in all directions and perform a range of different movements. But as impressive as the anatomy might be, such complexity makes the shoulder one of the most unstable areas of the human body, prone to injury from athletic endeavors and daily tasks alike. If you injure your shoulder, you should see a doctor who will eventually give you the green light to begin a rehabilitative exercise program.
Wall Push Ups
Stand a few feet away from a smooth wall and place your hands on the wall at the level of shoulders, slightly wider apart than your shoulders. Bend your elbows and allow your chest to almost touch the wall. Push back out. Do this movement slowly and repeat five to 10 times. Do this exercise once daily.
Shoulder Press Ups
Sit in a chair with arms. Place your hands on the arms and slowly push yourself up until your buttocks lift up out of the seat and your arms are straight. Slowly lower yourself back down. Perform five to 10 repetitions once daily.
Lateral Rotation
Stand perpendicular to, and a few feet away from, a closed door holding one end of a piece of elastic tubing with the other end hooked around the door knob. Your affected side should be closest to the door. Tuck your elbow into your side and keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Using the hand of your affected side, pull the tubing away from the door and in toward the midline of your body. Repeat 10 times on the affected side. Now, turn 180 degrees so that the affected side is farther away from the door. Bend your elbow 90 degrees with your forearm parallel to the floor. Hold the tubing in your hand on the affected side and pull it out away from the midline of your body. Repeat 10 times on the affected side. Do this exercise once daily.
Range of Motion
Hold your arm on the affected side at a 90-degree angle from your body. Begin making small, slow circles with your arm. Gradually increase the diameter of the circles until they are as large as your shoulder range of motion will allow and then begin to decrease the circles back to your starting point. Repeat three times on the affected side, or you may choose to do both arms at the same time. Perform this exercise once daily.
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