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Rotator Cuff Exercises
Before you start these exercises, please consult your doctor. It is important to stay consistent and do the exercises every day. However, stop exercising if you are not sure you are doing them correctly or if you have any pain.
Clicking and popping during exercise are not necessarily cause for concern, but a grinding sensation may indicate another problem.
Ice your shoulder after exercising.
Stretching Exercises:
If you have had surgery, you will not usually begin any active exercises until at least 3 to 6 weeks after surgery. Be sure to follow your surgeon's recommendations on when exactly these exercises are appropriate. In addition, most people wear an immobilizing shoulder brace after surgery. You will need to ask your doctor about getting help with removing this brace before you exercise and to replace it at the end of the session. A friend, family member, or physical therapist may be able to assist you if your doctor approves.
You should master the stretching exercises and be able to put your shoulder through its full range of motion before you begin strengthening routines. Generally, do the stretching exercises 3 to 5 minutes, 5 to 10 times a day.
Note: During all the following stretching exercises, avoid any movement that is straight to your sides. For any of the following exercises where your arms start at or stretch from your sides, the motion should be about 30º to the front of where your arms would make a "T" when raised 90º.
The list below links to specific exercises with illustrations and instructions.
- Posterior stretching
- Up the back stretch
- Side stretch
- Overhead stretch
- Pendulum swing
Strengthening Exercises
Start strengthening exercises only after you have your doctor's approval. Usually these exercises are begun gradually as soon as you can do the stretching routine without pain. However, these and other similar exercises usually should not be done until at least 6 to 8 weeks after surgery.
Strengthening exercises for the rotator cuff consist of both concentric motion, in which the muscles shorten, and eccentric action, in which the muscles lengthen against resistance.
For each exercise, try to do 10 to 12 repetitions in each set, beginning with 2 to 3 sets each day. Continue to do these exercises for at least 6 to 8 weeks if you have mild symptoms and for 12 weeks or more if your symptoms are more severe.
If you have had surgery, you will need to ask your doctor about getting help with removing your immobilizing shoulder brace before you exercise and to replace it at the end of the session. A friend, family member, or physical therapist may be able to assist you if your doctor approves.
Note: During all the following stretching exercises, avoid any movement that is straight to your sides. For any of the following exercises where your arms start at or stretch from your sides, the motion should be about 30º to the front of where your arms would make a "T" when raised 90º.
The list below links to specific exercises with illustrations and instructions.
- Arm raises to the side
- Rotator flex and extension
- Internal rotator strength
- External rotator strength
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