35 Physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain

The shoulder is known as a socket joint and a ball that made from the collar bone, shoulder blade, and arm bone. Many ligaments help shoulder move and it is an important joint that allow you move and reach.
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However, for some reasons, your shoulder might get pain and it can affect your normal life. some causes of shoulder pain are over exercising, overthrowing, having improper posture, stress, your lifestyle, lack of nutrients, etc. In this article, VKool.com will show you top 35 physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain. Hopefully, you will find some helpful treatments for the problems. Now keep reading the article and learn what the exercises are.

Top 35 Effective Physical Therapy Exercises For Shoulder Pain

1. Doorway Stretch

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - doorway stretch

Doorway stretch probably is one of the most useful physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain and you can follow it as the direction below:

  • Firstly, you should warm up the muscles by standing tall and spreading the arms outside.
  • Now you grip doorway sides below the height of the shoulder or with your hands.
  • Lean forward the doorway until you feel the stretch.
  • Straighten your back and shift the weight on the toes.
  • Do it and feel the stretch in front of the shoulder.
  • Avoid overstretching.

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2. Side-Lying Rotation

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - side-lying rotation

  • Lie down the floor.
  • Bend your elbow at 90-degree angle.
  • Rest the forearm across the abdomen.
  • Now you hold a dumbbell and keep the elbow against the side.
  • Raise the dumbbell slowly toward the ceiling.
  • Do not rotate the arm if you have a strain.
  • Hold the position for some seconds and turn back to the beginning position.
  • Down your arm and repeat it.
  • Increase the reps if you can.

3. Rowing Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - rowing exercise

  • To do this exercise, you prepare a resistance band.
  • Now you get down one knee and the knee opposite the injured arm will be raised.
  • Keep the knee and body align, rest the another hand on the raised knee.
  • Hold the band with stretching out the arm.
  • Pull the elbow toward the body.
  • Straighten the back and squeeze the blades of shoulder.
  • Your body should be still or you can twist with the arm.
  • Turn to the starting position and repeat.
  • You can do 10 sets.

4. Flying Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - flying exercise

  • Stand tall and keep the feet, shoulders wide apart.
  • Bend the knees slightly.
  • Keep the back straight and bend it forward the waist.
  • Each hand holds a weight and extend the arms.
  • Raise the arms away from the body.
  • Then you squeeze the shoulder blades together.
  • Avoid raising the arms over the shoulders.
  • Return to the beginning position and repeat it.

5. Lawn Mower Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - lawn mower exercise

  • Stand straight and keep the feet, shoulder wide apart.
  • Put the end of the resistance band under your foot.
  • Hold the another end with the another arm and the band is across the body.
  • Now you keep the another hand on the hip and bend it slightly.
  • Keep the band parallel to the opposite knee.
  • Starting like a lawn mower, you straighten and pull the elbow across your body to the outside ribs.
  • Relax the shoulder and squeeze their blades together.
  • Repeat 10 sets.

6. Pendulum Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - pendulum exercise

Physical therapy exercises for shoulder will not only work for shoulders, but they can help to strengthen the arms, necks, and other parts of the body.

  • Stand tall and put a good hand on the chair.
  • Hang down another arm and swing it gently backward, towards, and circular motion.
  • Repeat the exercise for 5 times and you can do this treatment 2-3 times each day.

7. Shoulder Stretch

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - shoulder stretch

Another simple and easy exercise to get rid of the shoulder pain is to stretch the shoulder. The steps are:

  • Stand tall and raise the shoulders up.
  • Hold this position for 5 seconds.
  • Then you squeeze the shoulder blades back and hold it for 5 seconds.
  • Pull the shoulder blades down and hold it for 5 seconds.
  • Relax and repeat the exercise for 10 times.

8. Leaning The Door

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - leaning the door

Learning the door is also a great exercise you should try now. It is not difficult to perform and here is the instruction how to do it:

  • Place your arms on the wall and put them above the head slightly.
  • Lean forward slowly as you are stretching in front of the shoulders.
  • Hold the position for 15-30 seconds.
  • Repeat for 3 times.
  • If you get a shoulder impingement, you should not practice it.
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9. Pressing The Door

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - pressing the door

With the door, you do not need to prepare any material or tool to do the exercises. To do this exercise, you can follow this:

  • Stand in the doorway and bend the elbow at the left angle. The back the wrist is against the door frame.
  • Push the warm outwards, against that door frame.
  • You hold the position for 5 seconds.
  • Do 10 reps on the side.

10. Wood Chops Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - wood chops exercise

This is one of the best physical therapy exercises for shoulder as it works for the core and triceps, and muscles. The techniques are:

  • You stand in front of the rebound, hold a ball in both hands and put it over the shoulder.
  • Then throw the ball down using the chop motion.
  • Now you catch the rebound, absorb that impact and throw it again.

11. Upper Ball Stabilization

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - upper ball stabilization

This exercise will work on the core stabilization and the scapular. The method is:

  • You lie down and place 1/3 of your body on the table edge.
  • Bear the weight on your arm, which places on the ball.
  • Control the ball while you move circulation.

12. Exercise With Swiss Ball

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - exercise with swiss ball

Physical therapy exercises for shoulder will reduce significantly your pain and exercising with the Swiss ball is a helpful movement you can try now. This exercise will improve the muscles and shoulder stability. The instruction is shown as below:

  • Prepare a ball and keep it at your hips. Put your hands on a wobble board.
  • Keep the balance when you move your arms.
  • You can lower the ball to the body.
  • This exercise will work for the upper back muscles well.

13. The Active Stretch

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - the active stretch

One of the most powerful therapy exercises for shoulder is the stretch and this is an active movement you can perform at home to reduce the shoulder pain. Now let follow the instruction how to do it:

  • Stand tall and put your right arm behind your back.
  • Use the left hand to pull your arm across your back.
  • Stretch it and keep for 20-30 seconds.
  • Turn back to the beginning position and repeat.

14. Capsule Stretch

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - capsule stretch

Stretching is always the perfect exercise for shoulders and other parts of the body. With the capsule stretch, you might increase the shoulder extension as well as the capsule mobility. The steps are:

  • You prepare a towel and put it between two arms and the body side.
  • Bend your elbow and pull it towards your body by using the another hand.
  • Hold it for some seconds and do the exercise again.

15. Wobble Board Exercises

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - wobble board exercises

Do you want to discover more physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain? This is a worthy exercise to try:

  • To get started, you put both hands on the wobble board, the shoulders are wide apart.
  • You have to keep the balance and circular on the board.
  • Hold it and repeat.
  • This exercise will strengthen the core stabilizers and the scapular

16. Chest Press Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - chest press exercise

This exercise will improve the shoulder flexibility as well as strengthen the serratus anterior. To perform this exercise, you should have a resistance band. Here is the technique:

  • Firstly, you anchor the band at your chest level.
  • Hold the end of the band in both hands.
  • Raise your arms to the chest level and bend the elbow.
  • Next, you push straight forward until your elbows get straight.
  • Hold it for some seconds and turn back to the starting position.

17. External Rotation

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - external rotation

If you want to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles, you should practice external rotation more frequently. It will strengthen the scapular muscles as well as the rotator cuff effectively. Therefore, among the physical therapy exercises for shoulder mentioned in this writing, external rotation is also a great movement for your try:

  • Anchor the resistance band in front of you, hold it in your hand.
  • Raise your arm and bend your elbow.
  • Now you rotate your arm upwards.
  • Then you return the beginning position and repeat the exercise.

18. Ball Catching

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - ball catching

Another great exercise for shoulder is ball catching, which will improve the core stabilization and scapular. The method is:

  • You will need a partner, who throws the ball toward your hands.
  • You catch the ball and throw it to the partner.
  • The partner catches that ball and throws it to your hand.
  • Repeat the exercise until you finish it.

19. Pulling Down

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - pulling down

The pulling down exercise works well on the scapular depressors. The practice is shown as here:

  • You need to have a resistance band.
  • Anchor the band at the high point and hold it in both hands.
  • Pull down and keep the elbow, shoulder in the starting position during the exercise.
  • You depress the scapula down as far as you can.
  • Return to the first position and repeat.

20. Scapular Rotation

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - scapular rotation

This is another physical exercise for shoulder you should do more regularly at home. The technique is:

  • You raise your arm at 45-degree angle to your body with facing the thumb forward and at the height of your hand.
  • Lift your arm as high as possible and avoid shrugging the shoulders before you return to the beginning position.

21. Seated Row

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - seated row

Seated row exercise is excellent for the middle trapezius and the rhomboids so it might reduce the shoulder pain effectually.

  • You can sit on the ground with a band around your feet.
  • The band is crossed in front of you and an end will be on your hand.
  • Straighten your arms, pull your arms back, bend your elbows until your hands are at the level of the chest.
  • Hold it and repeat the exercise.

22. Drilling Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - drilling exercise

Eliminating the shoulder pain, you can try the drilling exercise, which works well on the rhomboids, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii.

  • You are at the quadruped position and keep the shoulder, hands wide apart.
  • Shift the weight from this side to another side.
  • You scalp the ball from one hand to another hand quickly.

23. Bending Row

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - bending row

To do this exercise, you should prepare a resistance band. If you want to improve the mid back muscles, upper back muscles, the rhomboids, bending row is suitable for the goal. How to do this movement? Let try now:

  • You put the band center under the foot and each hand holds the ends of the band.
  • You pull upward on the band, bend your elbow behind them.
  • Hold it and repeat.

24. Chest Pass

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - chest pass

If you are aiming at the strength of triceps, wrist flexors, pectorals, scapular, or upper body, chest pass is on the top choice for you. It is also easy to do and here is the secret:

  • You stand for a meter from the partner or a rebound net.
  • Throw the medicine ball from the height of chest with your hands.
  • Then you catch the rebound and repeat the exercise.

25. Clasping Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - clasping exercise

Clasping exercise is a good pose in yoga and it can help you decrease the pain in shoulders effectively if you do it regularly with proper way. Here is the method how to do the exercise:

26. A Dolphin Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - a dolphin exercise

To reduce shoulder pain effectively, you should try different exercises and here is another excellent yoga pose for your try:

  • To start with facing the hands, knees to the wall.
  • Keep your forearms parallels to the another.
  • You hold the opposite elbow to get the shoulder distance.
  • Lift your hips up.
  • Next, you drop your head, reach the chest through your arms in the feet direction to open the shoulders.
  • Hold the position for 5 deep breaths.
  • Turn back and repeat.

27. Praying Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - praying exercise

Doing physical therapy exercises for shoulder is really helpful and safe for your health and praying exercise is such an exercise for relieving the pain in shoulders.

  • You sit down on the floor comfortably.
  • Then you float the arms down to the sides.
  • You bend the elbows in order to reach the arms put behind your back.
  • Now you press your palm as you are praying.
  • Reach the hands and keep the position for 5 deep breaths.

28. Eagle Pose For Shoulders

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - eagle pose for shoulders

If you have not ever tried yoga, I suggest you should do it now, especially, when the shoulder is painful. You might perform the eagle pose like this:

  • Stand straight and put the right knee to your chest.
  • Bend the left knee slightly across the right leg, around the left leg.
  • You hook your right foot on the left leg.
  • Now you wrap your right arm under the left arm.
  • Next, you sit down slowly and lift your arms to balance the body.
  • You reach your fingertips, elbows.
  • Hold the position for 5 breaths and repeat it.

29. Bow Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - bow exercise

Along with the proper diet plan, you should be active every day by doing physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain as they can help you relieve the inconvenience dramatically. The steps for bowing exercises are:

  • Lie down the face, bend the knees and grasp your ankles accordingly.
  • Now you press your feet into the hands and keep the hip, knees wide apart.
  • Then you lift the chest off the ground and hold it for 5 breaths.
  • Repeat the exercise.

30. Cow Face

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - cow face

  • To get started, put your knee down and reach your right arm to the ceiling.
  • You bend the right elbow and fall the right hand between the shoulder blades.
  • Now you take the left hand to your right elbow and deepen the shoulders. Avoid pushing it.
  • You put the left arm down, bend your elbow, and reach the left hand to the center.
  • Hold the right hand and lean it slightly into your arms.
  • Avoid pressing the right arm on your neck.
  • Hold the position for 5 deep breaths and repeat.

31. Needle Threading

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - needle threading

This yoga pose is very great for your shoulder pain and you can follow the instruction like this:

  • At first, you reach your right arm under your body.
  • Next, you release your temple and your right shoulder to the ground.
  • You should keep the left hand still and you might crawl it a bit over your head.
  • Hold that position for 5 breaths and repeat it.

32. Crossing Exercise

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - crossing exercise

  • You lie the belly down the floor.
  • Lift your torso, thread your right arm under the left arm for 90-degree angle to the body.
  • You reach your left arm then.
  • Now you hook the chin over both the shoulders.
  • Next, you walk your fingers away and hold it for 5 breaths.
  • Make sure you breathe deeply during the exercise.
  • Return and repeat the movement.

Do you want to discover more physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain? Keep reading it now.

33. The Point

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - the point

  • Lie face down on the ground.
  • Then you reach your right arm at 90-degree angle from the body.
  • Raise the palm up.
  • You use your left hand under your left shoulder, bend your left knee.
  • You can reach the left toe behind your right knee as your body is rotated.
  • Next, you reach your left arm toward the ceiling.
  • Keep the palm flexed and fall the hand toward the ground.
  • Hold the position as long as possible.
  • You can allow the left hand and the right hand meat together by clasping them.
  • Repeat the exercise.

34. I-Shape

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - i-shape

With this exercise, you can hold an appropriate weight in the hand.

  • You start the exercise by holding the weight in your right hand.
  • Then you lie the face down on the bed, exercise ball, or a bench and hand down your right arm.
  • Straighten the elbow and lift the weight forward until the arm gets the same level of the body.
  • Keep the thumb to the ceiling side.
  • If you feel difficult, you might not lift high.
  • Reduce the weight slowly.
  • Change the side and repeat.

35. T-Shape

physical therapy exercises for shoulder - t-shape

The last but not least, T-shape exercise is a perfect movement for the shoulder pain and it also can strengthen and improve the shoulder health effectively.

  • You can hold a proper weight for this.
  • Now you turn the palm forward and raise an arm for 3 o’clock on the right, 9 o’clock on the left.
  • Put the thumb to the ceiling side.
  • Repeat the exercise.

Related articles on shoulder pain therapy:

The Helpful Workouts For Shoulder

How To Get Rid Of Shoulder Pain Naturally

The Tendonitis Treatments

How To Treat Sore Muscles

The Corrective Exercises For You

How To Strengthen Your Neck

The Main Workout For You

How To Deal With Stiff Neck

The Exercises For Lower Back

How To Get Rid Of Bed Sores

Relieve Shoulder Pain With Exercises

You might visit our page and learn more information on how to get fitness.  After reading the articles about 35 physical therapy exercises for shoulder, I hope that you have learned the best ways to strengthen your shoulder health as well as reduce the shoulder pain effectively at home. If you have any question or any comment, please leave it below.

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