Rehabilitation Exercise for a Broken Shoulder

Physical therapy for a broken shoulder is important. First, physical therapy helps to regain joint mobility in the region, preventing undesirable conditions such as "frozen shoulder" (complete immobilization of the area). Second, physical therapy helps to restrengthen the shoulder itself to prevent future injuries and restore the proper strength relationship between the areas of the arm. While painful and burdensome, shoulder rehab exercises can be performed almost anywhere.

Mobility Drills

• Perform simple mobility drills to help avoid a frozen shoulder. To perform these exercises, you will need a broomstick. While holding the broomstick in front of your body with a wider than shoulder-width grip, raise your arms up over your head while keeping your hands stationary on the broomstick and your elbows locked throughout. You should feel a mild to severe stretch in and around your shoulder joint. Hold in the peak position (with arms directly above or slightly behind) your head for five seconds, then slowly reverse. Repeat four or five times.

  Another mobility drill: Begin with the broomstick behind your back, holding it with a larger than shoulder-width grip. Keep your arms straight and your elbows locked, and slowly raise the stick behind your back as far as your mobility will comfortably allow. Pause at the point of peak tension for five seconds, then slowly relax and return to the starting point. Repeat for a total of four or five times.

Strength Drills

• Perform front raises to increase shoulder strength after a broken shoulder. While standing with your hands at your sides and your arms straight, raise your arms directly in front of your body until your hands are at shoulder height. You should feel slight tension in the muscles of your shoulders while performing this drill. Perform three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions each. Once you are comfortable with the movement and can perform it with ease, increase the difficulty by holding light dumbbells (2.5 or 5 pounds) in your hands. Perform variants of this movement by raising your arms out to the sides, and then raising your arms to the diagonal (for three sets of 12 to 15 reps each). This will strengthen your shoulder through a complete range of motion.