Stretches & Exercises for Rotator Cuff Problems
- Warm up first. Start by bending at the waist and letting your arms hang down in a relaxed position. Move your arms back to a slow count of three, and move them to the starting position to a count of six. Next, move them forward using the same count. Repeat this several times.
Repeat each exercise until your arms are tired. When you can do the exercise 20 to 30 times without getting tired, you can start adding weights. Start with 2 oz. weights and work your way up each week. Do not go up to a weight that causes any pain.
Get on top of a table or on your bed and lie on your stomach. Hang your left arm over the table or bed. Bring it up to shoulder level and bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Keep your hand down and then raise it to shoulder level. Lower and repeat until your arm is tired, then change arms.
Lie on your right side and put a rolled-up towel under your right armpit. Stretch your right arm over your head. With your left arm, bend it so that your hand is on or under your chest. Bring your hand all the way back, as if you are hitting a backhand in tennis. Repeat until tired and change position for the other arm.
Lie on your right side. Keep your left arm straight alongside your body. Bend your right arm 90 degrees and roll it up using your right shoulder, keeping your arm bent. This motion is like hitting a tennis forehand. Repeat until tired and change positions for the other arm.
Stand up. For this exercise, pretend you are pouring out the contents of a glass. Put your hand somewhere between your front and side. Raise your arm almost to shoulder level while doing the pouring out motion. Repeat until tired and change arms. - When you are done, ice your shoulder for 20 minutes. A package of frozen peas or forzen corn works well. You should do the exercises three to five times a week.
According to eMedicineHealth.com, men over the age of 40 are most likely to injure their rotator cuff, and the pain is most noticeable at night. Women between the ages of 35 to 50 usually have rotator cuff pain due to tendinitis.