Shoulder Stress Injury Training Program
Symptoms of a shoulder stress injury will include:
Muscle Tightness of:
 		pectoral muscles, posterior deltoid/rotator cuff, latissimus muscles, serratus anterior
Weakness of:
 		rhomboids, middle/lower trapezius, posterior deltoid/rotator cuff
Restriction with:
 		 -scapular retraction
(squeezing shoulder blades together) 		-abduction
(motion of dumbbell lateral raises)
-posterior depression
(pushing shoulder downward)		 -internal rotation
(turning arm and shoulder in toward body)
-shoulder flexion
(motion of dumbbell front raises)		 -horizontal adduction
(motion of dumbbell fly)
Exercises:
Pectoral Stretch (doorway) Shoulder Flexion Stretch

  • Place arms on the outside of the doorway.  Shoulders and elbows are positioned at 90 degrees.  
  • Slowly lean into the doorway.  
  • Feel stretch in the front of chest and shoulders.
  • Face wall, hand behind head, elbow holds ball on wall.  
  • Raise elbow to the ceiling rolling ball up the wall. Lean into ball, feel stretch in the
    shoulder.  
  • Hold 5 seconds and return to start position. Repeat 10 times.
Shoulder Abduction Stretch Posterior Capsular Stretch (doorway)

  • Hand on head, hold ball on wall with elbow sideways.  
  • Raise elbow to ceiling rolling ball up wall.  
  • Lean into ball, feel stretch in shoulder.  
  • Hold 5 seconds and return to start position.
  • Repeat 10 times.
  • Bring arm across chest, grasp doorway with palm facing away from trunk.  
  • Rotate trunk into the secured shoulder.  Feel stretch in the back of the shoulder.  
  • Hold 30 seconds - Repeat 3 times.
Reverse Flies on Ball Swimmer on Ball

  • Feet on wall, ball secured at thighs and hips.
    Keep trunk straight.  
  • From a prayer position bring elbows out and up towards ceiling.
  • Return to start position.
  • Feet on wall, hands under chin, elbows out, trunk
    straight.
  • Move one arm forward and the opposite arm backward through full range of motion.
  • Return to start position.  Reverse arm motion and repeat.
Upper Trunk Extensions Squat-n-Arch (flexion)

  • Feet on floor with trunk and hips over ball.
  • Place hands under chin, elbows out.
  • Lift trunk to neutral position w/o hyper-extending the low back.
  • Lower the trunk back to start position and repeat.
  • Sit on ball.  Walk down ball, bend hips/knees until the back curves onto the ball.
  • Extend knees and bring arms fully overhead. Feel stretch in chest and shoulders.  
  • Return to start position and repeat.  
  • You can place towel roll or pillow under head for support.
Squat-n-Arch (abduction)

 
  • Sit on ball.  Walk down ball, bend
    hips/knees until the back curves onto the ball.
  • With elbows straight bring hands together in front of chest.
  • Extend knees, arch trunk over ball and bring arms fully out to sides.  
  • Feel stretch in chest and shoulders.  Return to start position and repeat.  
  • Increase stretch by extending finger tips to floor.

Back to Article