Healthy Life: Shoulder Exercises (689)

Healthy Life: Shoulder Exercises

蘇鎮邦 (Christopher So)：
舒整物理治療師 (Manipulative Physiotherapist) 人類工程師 (Ergonomist)

The following exercises are suitable for most shoulder pain patients. However, if you have undesirable effects after doing them, please consult your own physiotherapist.

One of the main movements of the shoulder is flexion or forward elevation. This movement is usually least affected by shoulder problems and it usually recover earlier and quicker. Generally, if this movement is restricted to less than 90 degrees, it means the shoulder problem has reached a severe level. The length of recovery period is usually longer.

It can be done in lying down (diagram 1) or standing position. It is safer for older people to do it in a lying down. However, if it is safe to do so especially for younger patient, it is more convenient to do it in standing. It is important not to arch the back backward which is a common trick movement that means you do it subconsciously to increase shoulder elevation. Back pain may result. That is why it may be better for older people to do it in a lying position.

hss.edu (Diagram 1: Shoulder Flexion)

The second movement is raising the arms out to the sides (Diagram 2). Usually, when the arms reach 90 degree or in a horizontal position, the affected shoulder becomes most painful. The patient should stop when the pain becomes too much or unbearable. Otherwise, the patient should try to raise the arms and try to bring them together above the head.

http://0.tqn.com/d/breastcancer/1/0/E/7/-/-/shoulder-abduction02.jpg

(Diagram 2: Shoulder Abduction)

The third movement is reaching your arm behind your back (Diagram 3). This movement involves rotation of the shoulder and the patient needs to be more careful. If you do it too much it will flare up the shoulder pain. Hold firmly onto the towel and raise your affected arm to the back until you cannot reach up anymore. Then, you use the other arm to pull the affected shoulder up gently a bit more behind the back.

http://0.tqn.com/d/breastcancer/1/0/s/6/-/-/towel_stretch_set.jpg

3.

http://osm-web05.orthop.washington.edu/_Rainbow/Album/10357m17d90c4f-0265-45be-a937-37cedd82b51b.gif

(Diagram 3: Behind Back Reach)

All of the above exercises should be done four times a day and ten repetitions for each movement. However, if there is soreness after the exercises for more than 5 minutes, the patient should back off a bit or do fewer repetitions. Then, the patient can try to progress slowly to the suggested dosage of exercise.