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5 physical therapist-backed exercises for those with shoulder impingement

 

 

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The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint made up of the humerus or upper arm bone and the scapula or shoulder blade. Four rotator cuff muscles sit in the narrow space between these two bones. Any injury that causes inflammation and swelling of these muscles will create stiffness. Physical therapy treatments help reduce pain and swelling and mobilize stiff shoulder joints.

It’s very important to wait until your swelling and pain have subsided before starting an exercise program for shoulder impingement. Using your shoulder too soon can worsen your injury and increase your healing time.

A rotator cuff injury is called shoulder impingement or sometimes “frozen shoulder.” In this blog post, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions for five exercises that can help with shoulder impingement.

5 physical therapist-backed exercises for those with shoulder impingement

Shoulder impingement is most common among middle-aged and older adults, especially those who stay somewhat active. It often happens when they overuse their shoulder without warming up or stretching. For instance, people may develop shoulder impingement from playing a sport on the weekends or doing a home maintenance project. Throwing motions and activities that involve lifting your arm above your head, such as painting, commonly cause shoulder impingement.

Try these five physical therapy exercises to help reduce pain and promote healing from shoulder impingement:

  • Pendulum stretch — Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and lean forward at the waist. Dangle the affected arm so it’s pointing straight at the ground. Use your hips and legs to swing your arm without using your shoulder. Create small circles and slowly make them larger; then go in the opposite direction. 
  • Doorway stretch — Stand in a doorway and hold the side of the doorframe with your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Gently turn away from your affected arm until you feel the stretch in your shoulder. Hold for up to 30 seconds and repeat two to three times.
  • Internal rotation — Roll up a towel lengthwise and use your unaffected hand to hold one end above your head. Reach the affected arm behind your back and hold the bottom end. Gently pull up with your unaffected arm until you feel a slight rotation in the other arm. Slowly ease back to starting position and repeat two to three times. 
  • External rotation — Hold your hands out in front of you with your elbows at a 90-degree angle, grasping your towel. Use your affected arm to pull on the towel, rotating your shoulder outward, while pulling to create resistance with the other arm. Return to starting position and repeat two to three times. 
  • Crossover arm stretch — Cross the affected arm across your chest and use the other arm to hold it in place, cradling it in your elbow. Use the unaffected arm to gently pull the affected arm back until you feel a stretch in your shoulder. Hold for about 30 seconds.

Get help recovering from shoulder impingement at REPAIR SI

Shoulder impingement requires a highly personalized treatment approach because every injury is unique. A physical therapist will begin with an evaluation to get a good sense of your injury and your abilities. They’ll provide treatments to reduce pain and swelling before you begin rehabilitation. 

At REPAIR SI, we provide holistic treatments that support your overall health and fit with your lifestyle. We know our patients are more likely to stick to their treatment plans when they have an active role in their treatment decisions. We also enjoy what we do, so we try to make the treatment process fun.

Are you recovering from shoulder impingement? We can help. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.