According the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) 14 million shoulder problems cause Americans to the visit the doctor annually. Shoulder injuries occur for reasons ranging from athletic activities, like golf and tennis, to seemingly harmless tasks, like gardening.
The good news is there are a number of exercises that can be done to strengthen the muscles associated with the shoulder and thus minimize, even prevent, injury.
Of course, check with a doctor before starting any of these exercises, especially if shoulder pain/tenderness is already a problem.
Simple Shoulder Stretch
Stretching the shoulder is important, especially for people who sit and/or type much of the day. Here's a simple exercise anyone should be able to do:
Stand with hands clasped behind the back. Now lift the hands up away from the back as far as is comfortable. Hold for about 10 to 15 seconds. Lower arms, then repeat. Try repeating five times initially, then add more reps if desired.
Lateral Arm Raises
Lateral raises bring the arms out to the side and they're a good way to exercise front, side and back shoulder muscles. Start with the arms down and then sloooowly bring up only to shoulder level. Make sure the arms and shoulders are parallel. Then bring down, again very slowly. Do five to 10 times.
Initially, this can be done without any weights in the hands, but gradually start adding weights. An easy way to get weight without buying any: use a can of soup or vegetables in each hand, or fill a milk jug all or partway full with water or sand.
The Rotator Cuff
One of the most important (and most often injured) shoulder areas is the rotator cuff. It consists of four muscles that surround the arm bone and it's not uncommon for a major tendon there to be strained. Any activity that requires lifting the arms, from painting a wall to hanging curtains can cause strain.
Three exercises commonly prescribed to help the rotator cuff are found at the American Academy of Family Physician (AAFP) website:
- Range of motion--Lean over from the waist and hold one arm straight down. Now take the arm and move it in small circles, gradually making the circles wider. Keep moving to a count of 10 (or 20 if possible). Switch arms. Do about 5 to 10 times during the day.
- Rotator cuff strengthening--Find some rubber tubing or elastic for this exercise. Many sports and exercise stores sell elastic exercise bands in different strengths. Tie one end of the band to a doorknob and stand with one side facing that doorknob. Pull the band across the body as far as possible, but don't strain too hard. Now bring the band back towards the door. Start with 10 pulls and keep bringing the band farther and farther out. Turn around and repeat these steps from the opposite side. (See Illustration on AAFP's site.)
- Upper extremity strengthening--Lie on right side (right arm under head). Hold a weight (a light dumbbell initially or even a soup or vegetable can), in left hand on floor by waist. Now lift the weight straight up so it's 90 degrees from the body. Keep elbow close to body as arm is raised. Do 10 times initially.
None of these exercises is particularly difficult, even for older adults, and there's very little equipment needed. The most "expensive" of the equipment mentioned are those stretching bands, and they don't generally cost that much. Yet the savings are enormous: avoiding and even preventing pain and cutting down various expenses (from doctor visits even surgery).
