Standing forward flexion

Stand facing a mirror with the hands rotated so that the thumbs face forward.  Raise the arm upward keeping the elbow straight.  Try to raise the arm by hinging at the shoulder as opposed to raising the arm with the shoulder blade.  Do 10 repetitions to 90 degrees.  If you can do this without hiking the shoulder blade, do 10 repetitions fully overhead.

 

Prone rowing

The starting position for this exercise is to bend over at the waist so that the affected arm is hanging freely straight down. Alternatively, lie face down on your bed with the operated arm hanging freely off of the side.  While keeping the shoulder blade ‘set’, raise the arm up toward the ceiling while bending at the elbow. The elbow should be drawn along the side of the body until the hands touch the lower ribs. Always return slowly to the start position.

 

Prone horizontal abduction (‘T’s)

The starting position for this exercise is to bend over at the waist so that the affected arm is hanging freely straight down. Alternatively, lie face down on your bed with the operated arm hanging freely off of the side.  Rotate your hand so that the thumb faces forward.  While keeping the shoulder blade ‘set’ and keeping the elbows straight, slowly raise your arm away from your body to shoulder height, through a pain-free range of motion (so that your hand now has the thumb facing forward, and aligned with your cheek).  Hold that position for 1 to 2 seconds and slowly lower. Limit the height that you raise the arm to 90 degrees, or in other words, horizontal to the floor.

 

Prone horizontal abduction  with external rotation

The starting position for this exercise is to bend over at the waist so that the affected arm is hanging freely straight down. Alternatively, lie face down on your bed with the operated arm hanging freely off of the side.  Rotate your hand so that the thumb faces outward.  While keeping the shoulder blade ‘set’ and keeping the elbows straight, slowly raise your arm away from your body to shoulder height, through a pain-free range of motion (so that your hand now has the thumb facing forward, and aligned with your cheek).  Hold that position for 1 to 2 seconds and slowly lower. Limit the height that you raise the arm to 90 degrees, or in other words, horizontal to the floor.