3 Simple Mobility Exercises for Frozen Shoulder
Frozen Shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint.
Simple activities like fastening a bra or taking a book off an overhead shelf can be extremely difficult if not impossible with a frozen shoulder.
We don’t fully understand what causes a frozen shoulder, but an inflammatory process is probably involved.
Sometimes freezing occurs because the shoulder has been immobilized for a long time by injury, surgery, or illness.
In many cases the cause is obscure.
Fortunately, the shoulder can usually be unfrozen, though full recovery takes time — and lots of self-help.
Physical therapy has been shown to be effective at managing a frozen shoulder.
Treatment is initially focused on reducing pain and restoring the shoulder’s normal range of motion.
In the video we show you 3 simple active assisted exercises to help restore your shoulder’s normal range of motion while using assistance from your uninjured (non-painful) side.
- 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐨𝐧 : While laying on your back, hold a broomstick or cane with both hands and lift both your arms above your head slowly. Move the broomstick or cane high enough until you feel a stretch in the shoulder. Complete this exercise for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : While laying on your back, hold a broomstick or cane with both hands. On your injured side, maintain a 90 degree bend at the elbow with your arm approximately 30-45 degrees away from your side. Use your other arm to push the cane to rotate the injured arm into a stretch. Hold and then return to starting position and then repeat for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: While holding a broomstick or cane palm face up on the injured side and palm face down on the uninjured side, slowly raise up your injured arm to the side. Repeat this for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.