Post-Op Shoulder Exercises should only be implemented once your M.D instructed you to do so. Here are some good exercises to help you recover faster…
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Shoulder Flexion – Finger Walk or Wall Crawl
Stand facing the wall, Walk the fingers of your surgical hand up the wall. Step closer to the wall as needed. Mark your progress with a pencil on the wall and challenge yourself to go a little higher each day. Slowly lower your arm using your other hand until you can use your shoulder muscles as a break against gravity. Repeat five times.
2. Shoulder Abduction – Finger wall walk:
Stand with your surgical side to the wall. Walk your fingers up the wall. Step into the wall as needed. Mark your progress with a pencil on the wall and challenge yourself to go a little higher each day. Slowly lower your arm using the other hand until you can use your shoulder muscles as a break against gravity. Repeat five times.
3. Rub-a-dub
Stand straight, with the back of your hand of your injured side against your back. With your other hand, throw a towel over your back and grab it with your hand behind the back. Pull gently on the towel with your “good” arm, raising your injured arm as high as you can without discomfort. You will feel the stretch. Hold for 10-15 seconds, release slowly, and repeat 10 to 15 times. Do 3-5 times per day.
4. Shoulder internal rotation (active)
Bring hand behind back and across to opposite side up middle of the back. Stretches: 3-5 times per day, 10-15 repetitions each.
5. Pendulum Circular
Bend forward 90 degrees at the waist, using a table for support. Rock body in a circular pattern to move arm clockwise ten times, then counterclockwise ten times.
click on Shoulder OP to see images of exercises