Every year nearly 7.5 million people schedule doctor’s visits due to shoulder problems. Shoulder injuries are frequently caused by athletic activities that involve excessive, repetitive, overhead motion, such as swimming, tennis, pitching, and weightlifting. Injuries can also occur during everyday activities such as scrubbing or washing, working overhead such as with hanging curtains or painting, and gardening. Although many of these injuries are traumatic and prevention is difficult, many of the non-traumatic injuries are preventable.
Here are a few basic exercises that can be performed to decrease your risk of shoulder injury. There should be no pain with any of these exercises. If your shoulder problem continues or even worsen, please consult your local doctor or physical therapist for a proper evaluation. Early detection is key to preventions of serious shoulder injuries.
Pectoralis Stretch (Daily)
Option 1: On foam roll (for 1-2 minutes)
Option 2: Doorway (3x for 15-20 seconds)
* Do not perform this exercise if your shoulder feels it could pop out or slide out of socket or if you had previous history of dislocation
Scapular squeezes/retraction
Daily 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Shoulder Internal and External Rotation with band or cable
3-4 days per week; 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions
