Your doctor may prescribe an exercise program as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for supraspinatus tendinitis, or tendon inflammation. Performing specific stretching and strengthening exercises that target the supraspinatus muscle, which crosses over the shoulder joint, might help alleviate the symptoms associated with the condition. Consult a physical therapist to determine which exercises are most appropriate for you, and check with your physician if your symptoms persist.
Static Stretching Exercises
Performing static stretches involves lengthening the targeted muscle until you feel gentle tension, and then holding the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Lengthening the supraspinatus, specifically, requires either adducting or internally rotating your shoulder, since the muscle facilitates the opposite ranges of motion -- abduction and external rotation. A shoulder adduction stretch, for example, involves reaching across your abdomen with your affected arm, grasping a sturdy object and walking sideways until you feel tension through your shoulder. Additionally, a shoulder internal rotation stretch involves flexing the elbow on the same side as your inflamed shoulder, placing the back of your hand on your lower back and gently forcing your elbow forward.
Dynamic Stretching Exercises
Dynamic stretching exercises are another option for supraspinatus tendinitis. These involve lengthening the muscle repeatedly for 10 to 30 seconds, progressively increasing the range of motion with each repetition. Arm swings, for example, involve crossing your arms in front of your abdomen and separating them repeatedly. You might also perform the same internal rotation stretch mentioned previously, but move your elbow back and forth instead of holding the stretch.
Isometric Strengthening Exercises
Performing isometric, or static-contraction, exercises may be more appropriate than traditional resistance-training exercises during the early part of your rehabilitation program, particularly if moving your shoulder causes pain, because they require very little, if any, joint motion. The isometric shoulder-abduction exercise, for example, involves standing with your affected arm at your side and close to a sturdy wall, and pressing the back of your hand into it for five seconds or more. Similarly, the isometric shoulder external rotation exercise involves starting your elbow at a 90-degree angle and pressing the back of your hand against a wall. You shouldn't perform isometric exercises if you suffer from certain heart conditions, so check with your doctor first.
Dynamic Resistance Exercises
Once your symptoms have subsided, perform dynamic resistance exercises to strengthen the supraspinatus muscle through a full range of motion. These exercises are similar to dynamic stretches in that you shorten and lengthen the muscle repeatedly, but you use external resistance, such as dumbbells or a resistance band, to stimulate muscle-strength enhancement. The lateral raise exercise, for example, involves lifting a dumbbell sideways, away from your body, to shoulder height and back down repeatedly. You also can perform a shoulder external rotation exercise, for which you hold one end of a resistance band, place your forearm across your abdomen and repeatedly rotate your shoulder back and forth.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Tendinitis; Mayo Clinic Staff; November 2009
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004
