Shoulder Arthritis: Exercises | Kaiser Permanente (2024)

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slide 1 of 8, Shoulder extensor stretch (lying down, with wand),

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hold a wand with both hands, placing one hand near each end of the wand. (You can also use a broom handle or anything stiff and about 3 feet long.) Your palms should face down as you hold the wand. Straighten your elbows and rest the wand on your legs, just below your hips. This is your starting position.
2. Keeping your elbows straight, slowly raise your arms over your head. Raise them until you feel a stretch in your shoulders, upper back, and chest. Try not to shrug your shoulders.
3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

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slide 2 of 8, Shoulder rotation (lying down, with wand),

1. Lie on your back. Hold a wand with both hands with your elbows bent and palms up. You can also use a broom handle or anything stiff and about 3 feet long.
2. Hold your elbows close to your body, and move the wand across your body toward the affected arm.
3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
5. It's a good idea to repeat these steps toward your other arm.

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slide 3 of 8, Shoulder internal rotation stretch (with towel),

1. Roll up a towel lengthwise. Put the towel over your unaffected shoulder and hold the front end with your unaffected hand.
2. With your affected arm, reach behind your back and grasp the other end of the towel.
3. There are two ways to stretch your affected shoulder.
4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
5. Relax and move the towel back to the starting position.
6. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
7. If you can, repeat these steps for your other shoulder.

• With the towel lying on your shoulder, pull the front end of the towel down with your unaffected arm until you feel a stretch in the front and outside of your affected shoulder.
• Pull the front end of the towel straight up above your head with your unaffected arm until you feel a stretch in the front and outside of your affected shoulder.

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slide 4 of 8, Shoulder-blade squeeze,

1. Sit or stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
2. Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, not shrugged.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together.
4. Hold for about 6 seconds, then relax.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

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slide 5 of 8, Resisted row,

1. Anchor an exercise band at about waist level. You can loop the band around a solid object, like a bedpost or handrail. Or you can tie a knot in the middle of the band and shut a door on the band so the knot is on the other side of the door. (Or you can have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
2. Stand or sit facing where you have placed the band. Hold one end of the band in each hand.
3. Hold your arms out in front of you. Adjust your hold on the band so you have some tension on it.
4. With your shoulders relaxed, pull the bands back, and move your shoulder blades toward each other. Your elbows will pass along your waist.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

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slide 6 of 8, Shoulder external rotation (resisted),

1. Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. Attach one end of the loop to a secure object, or shut a door on it to hold it in place. Or you can tie a knot in one end of the band and shut the door with the knot on the other side. The band should be at about waist height.
2. Stand or sit with your unaffected side toward the door.
3. Hold one end of the band with the hand of your affected arm, and bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Keep your upper arm against your body. You can squeeze a rolled towel between your elbow and your body for comfort. This will help keep your arm at your side.
4. Start with your forearm across your belly and your shoulder relaxed. Slowly rotate your forearm out away from your body. Keep your elbow and upper arm tucked against the towel roll or the side of your body until you begin to feel tightness in your shoulder. Slowly move your arm back to where you started. Your shoulder should stay relaxed throughout the exercise.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
6. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other arm.

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slide 7 of 8, Shoulder internal rotation (resisted),

1. Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. Attach one end of the loop to a secure object, or shut a door on it to hold it in place. Or you can tie a knot in one end of the band and shut the door with the knot on the other side. The band should be at about waist height.
2. Stand or sit with your affected side toward the door.
3. Hold the free end of the exercise band with the hand of your affected arm, and bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Keep your upper arm against your body. You can squeeze a rolled towel between your elbow and your body for comfort. This will help keep your arm at your side.
4. Start with your arm pointing straight ahead and your shoulder relaxed. Slowly rotate your forearm toward your body until it touches your belly. As you do this, keep your elbow and upper arm firmly tucked against the towel or at your side. Slowly move it back to where you started. Your shoulder should stay relaxed throughout the exercise.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
6. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other arm.

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slide 8 of 8, Pendulum swing,

1. Hold on to a table or the back of a chair with your unaffected arm. Then bend forward a little and let your affected arm hang straight down. This exercise does not use the arm muscles. Rather, use your legs and your hips to create movement that makes your arm swing freely.
2. Use the movement from your hips and legs to guide the slightly swinging arm forward and backward like a pendulum (or elephant trunk). Then guide it in circles that start small (about the size of a dinner plate). Make the circles a bit larger each day, as your pain allows.
3. Do this exercise for at least 1 minute. Do it at least 3 times a day.

As you have less pain, try bending over a little farther to do this exercise. This will increase the amount of movement at your shoulder.