The shoulder exercise that can help everyone
How would you like to safely strengthen your injured shoulder or prevent shoulder injury altogether?
This exercise, technically a mix between shoulder flexion (in front of body) and scaption (to the sides), works many of the muscles around the shoulder and can help you strengthen your shoulder while still preventing new or further injury! This is a beautiful exercise that can be great for those with injury (with light weights or no weights), those looking for toned shoulders (use light weight, high repetition), and those looking for more mass (use heavier weight, lower reps). Not only does this exercise help the shoulder muscles, but it also helps other muscles that surround and support the shoulder.
Proper position for shoulder flexion and scaption exercise
Try this initially with a 3 to 5 pound weight in each hand. If you don’t have weights available, a heavy hammer weighs about 3 pounds, and a half gallon of water weighs just under 5 pounds. With your fists and the weights in them directly in front of you at thigh level, lift upward to bring the weights up to shoulder height, with your thumbs constantly pointing toward the ceiling. Very slowly, in a controlled movement, allow the weights and your fists to come all the way back down to your thighs again. Then repeat, but this time instead of lifting weights in front of you, lift the weights so they go out directly to your sides and up to shoulder level again, still with thumbs pointing to the ceiling. Once more, slowly let the weights come back to your sides. This is one repetition, as can be seen in the images below. Try to do this whole cycle 10-15 more times. If the exercise begins to get easy, try slowly, incrementally adding more weight.
PT for shoulder pain.
As physical therapists, we know the importance of movement for overall health and well-being. Whether you have a shoulder injury, shoulder pain or simply want to avoid future issues, a physical therapist can help! Get started with PT today!