Shoulder Dislocation Exercises

A shoulder dislocation is a painful injury in which the bones of the shoulder's ball and socket joint separate, straining the surrounding ligaments, tendons and muscles. A shoulder dislocation is likely to leave the joint weakened and susceptible to re-injury. Consequently, performing physical therapy exercises can help stabilize the shoulder to prevent further damage and pain.

  1. Rotator Cuff Exercises

    • The rotator cuff is one of the most important muscle groups to exercise for shoulder stability. It is a small group of muscles and tendons that connect the bones of the shoulder joint and allow the upper arm to rotate. A strong rotator cuff keeps the shoulder joint tight and prevents dislocation and soreness.
      A basic rotator cuff exercise is the lying rotator lift. Begin by lying on your side on a flat elevated surface such as a weight bench, the side of a bed or a couch. Keep the elbow closest to the ceiling in tight to your side but allow the forearm to droop down across your belly. Then, rotate the arm at the shoulder, lifting the forearm from the belly until it is parallel to the floor. Slowly lower the arm back to the belly and repeat until you feel the rotator cuff begin to fatigue. You can grip a light dumbbell or object for extra resistance.
      Another rotator cuff exercise can be done using a cable machine or resistance band from a standing position. To do this, put the arm you want to work in the same position as you did in the lying rotator lift, with the elbow at your side and the forearm across the belly. Then, grab the handle of the cable machine or resistance band with the hand that is across the belly and rotate the arm against the resistance until the fist is pointing straight ahead. Rotate the arm back to the starting positing and repeat. You should aim to do at least two sets of rotator cuff lifts every day until it is tired to solidify the shoulder joint.

    Shoulder Stability Lifts

    • After a severe shoulder injury, you wade gingerly back into weightlifting, and if it causes moderate discomfort or pain you should stop lifting and give the shoulder more rest. When your shoulder has recovered sufficiently, a few simple dumbbell lifts can help strengthen its supporting muscles. To begin, take two dumbbells of the same weight, one in each hand, and stand with the weights resting at your sides. For the first lift, move the arms out to your sides and make a cross with your arms and body, then slowly let the weight back down and repeat. Next, alternate lifting the arms straight out in front of you, again, keeping the arms fully extended throughout the motion. Finally, bend forward over one knee and move the opposite arm straight back. Continue the lift until fatigue sets in and then switch arms. You should aim to do 12 to 15 repetitions of each of these three shoulder lifts for each arm and to do two or three sets of lifts during your workout.