Rotator cuff tendinitis is a shoulder injury characterized by an inflammation of the tendons. Your rotator cuff has four muscles, each containing a tendon that attaches to your upper arm and enables movement of your shoulder socket and arm. Some stretches and other exercises strengthen and maintain mobility in the muscles and tendons of your shoulder. Check with your health care professional to make sure these exercises are safe for you.
Pendulum Stretch
This is a range-of-motion exercise that stretches the tendons in your shoulders and maintains flexibility and mobility. Sit in a chair or bed, and relax your shoulder muscles. Allow your arm to hang loosely from your affected shoulder. Begin to gently swing your arm back and froward, remembering to keep your muscles relaxed.
Swing your arm from side to side and gradually progress to small clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations. Lift your arm and hold this position for five seconds, and return it to the starting position. Gradually increase the stretch by adding 1- to 2-lb. weights on your affected arm and increasing the circumference of your circular motions. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions once daily.
Wand Exercise
Similar to the pendulum stretch, this stretch promotes mobility and range of motion in the shoulders. You will need a wand or broomstick to perform this exercise. Lying your back, hold the end of the wand with the hand of your injured arm, and place your unaffected arm in the middle of the wand. Use your unaffected arm to bring the rod across your body so that your injured arm is extended across the body. Continue this extension until your affected arm is completely straight. Hold this stretch for five seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 15 to 20 times daily.
Prone External Rotation
Your physical therapist will also recommend some exercises to strengthen the muscles in your rotator cuff and prevent further injury. Begin by lying on your stomach on a bed. Place your affected shoulder over the edge of the bed, and allow your elbow and lower arm to hang from the bed. Slowly bend your affected elbow to a 90-degree angle and bring that arm toward your head. Continue this flexion until your arm reaches shoulder level. Slowly extend your elbow and return your arm to the starting position. Perform three set of 10 repetitions, once daily.
Prone Horizontal Abduction
Similar to the prone external rotation, this exercises strengthens the muscles in your rotator cuff and prevents further injury. Begin by lying on your stomach on a bed. Place your affected shoulder over the edge of the bed, and allow your elbow and lower arm to hang from it. With your thumb facing forward, grab a dumbbell with the affected arm and slowly bring your arm straight out to your side. Keeping your elbows straight, continue this extension until your arm is parallel to your body. Return to the starting position and perform three set of repetitions, once daily.
References
- American Medical Society for Sports Medicine; Rotator Cuff Tendonitis; Jeff Tanji, MD
- UpToDate; Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Tear; Stephen M Simons and Michael Roberts; October 2010
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Wand Exercise
- FamilyDoctor.org; Rotator Cuff Exercises; September 2000
- Rotator-Cuff-Therapy-Exercises.com: Rotator Cuff Tendonitis Exercises
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