Our last blog focused on an important extremity that is vulnerable to injury, the shoulder. Your shoulder allows for a great range of motion in your arm and shoulder injuries can significantly impair your function and ability to perform daily activities. Our resident Chiropractor Dr. Farrah Jiwa prescribes the following exercises for those with shoulder injuries.
1) Pendulum Exercise
Perform this exercise first!
Relax your shoulder
Stand and lean slightly forward
Allow your injured arm to hang down
Swing your injured arm in a small circle
The circle should be around a foot in diameter
Perform 10 revolutions in one direction
Switch directions
Perform twice a day
Once your symptoms improve, increase the diameter of the swing, but don’t force it! When you find this is easy and you’re ready for more, increase the stretch by holding a 3-5lb weight in the swinging arm!
2) Wall Walk
Face a wall three-quarters of an arm’s length away
Reach out and touch the wall at waist level with your fingertips of your injured arm
Slowly walk your fingers up the wall
Make sure your elbow is slightly bent
Walk your fingers until you’ve raised your arm to shoulder level or as far as you feel comfortable
Slowly lower your arm and repeat
Perform 10-20 times a day
Once your symptoms improve, walk your fingers further up the wall, beyond or above shoulder level.
Want more exercises? There are multiple factors/muscles that attach to the shoulder complex. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms as mentioned in our previous blog “Shoulder Injuries” call Backs in Action Wellness Centre and book in a Chiropractic Assessment with Dr. Farrah Jiwa. Dr. Jiwa will be able to customize an exercise program specific to you. At Backs in Action we are glad to help reduce your pain and get you back into your activities in no time!
