6 Strengthening Physical Therapy Exercises for Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition where your shoulder becomes stiff, painful, and has limited motion in all directions. If you are experiencing a frozen shoulder, all you need to do is some physio stretching exercises. In the following article, you will learn more about physio exercises to help you recover from frozen shoulder.
1) Pendulum Stretch
– Relax your shoulders.
– Stand and lean over slightly, allowing the affected arm to hang down.
– Swing the arm in a small circle — about a foot in diameter.
– Perform ten revolutions in each direction, once a day.
– As your symptoms improve, increase the diameter of your swing, but never force it.
– When you’re ready for more, increase the stretch by holding a lightweight (three to five pounds) in the swinging arm.
2) Towel Stretch
– Hold one end of a three-foot-long towel behind your back and grab the opposite end with your other hand.
– Hold the towel in a horizontal position.
– Use your good arm to pull the affected arm upward to stretch it.
– You can also do an advanced version of this exercise with the towel draped over your shoulder.
– Hold the bottom of the towel with the affected arm and pull it toward the lower back with the unaffected arm.
– Do this 10 to 20 times a day.
3) Finger Walk
– Face a wall three-quarters of an arm’s length away.
– Reach out and touch the wall at waist level with the fingertips of the affected arm.
– With your elbows slightly bent, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, spider-like, until you’ve raised your arm as far as you comfortably can.
– Your fingers should be doing the work, not your shoulder muscles.
– Slowly lower the arm (with the help of the good arm, if necessary) and repeat.
– Perform this exercise 10 to 20 times a day.
4) Cross-body Reach
– Sit or stand.
– Use your good arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow, and bring it up and across your body, exerting gentle pressure to stretch the shoulder.
– Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds.
– Do this 10 to 20 times per day.
5) Outward Rotation
– Hold a rubber exercise band between your hands with your elbows at a 90-degree angle close to your sides.
– Rotate the lower part of the affected arm outward two or three inches and hold for five seconds.
– Repeat 10 to 15 times, once a day.
6) Inward Rotation
– Stand next to a closed door, and hook one end of a rubber exercise band around the doorknob.
– Hold the other end with the hand of the affected arm, holding your elbow at a 90-degree angle.
– Pull the band toward your body two or three inches and hold for five seconds.
– Repeat 10 to 15 times, once a day.
Before you do these exercises, we recommend that you consult a professional physiotherapist. If you are suffering from severe frozen shoulder, visit your physio clinic as soon as possible or call us for in-home physio therapy.
