There are a wide variety of stretches that can be helpful to patients with shoulder pain or to those recovering from a surgical procedure. In this article, we are going to walk through two great band exercises for shoulder pain – the alternate internal rotation stretch, and the horizontal abduction scapular retraction stretch.
Alternate Internal Rotation Stretch
If you are having trouble getting your hand to the mid-line of your back, try this as an alternative until you can get it there.
Use a strengthening rubber as shown in the picture below. Grab the rubber band with the involved arm. Next create tension in the rubber band by stepping away from it. The tension in the rubber band will stretch your arm toward the mid-line of your back. Create a tolerable stretch in your shoulder. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Perform 5 repetitions once a day unless otherwise directed by your physician or therapist. Once this is achieved easily, you may begin using a strap or a towel to pull your arm up your back toward your shoulder blade as seen in Internal Rotation behind the back stretch.
Horizontal Abduction – Scapular Retraction Strengthening
Begin this exercise by setting your scapulae into the proper position by retracting and depressing them. Grasp a strengthening rubber band in your hands about shoulder width apart. Pull the rubber band apart while maintaining your proper scapular positioning.
