This document, provided by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), outlines a general conditioning program to help individuals recover from shoulder injury or surgery and return to daily activities, sports, and a healthy lifestyle.
The program focuses on:
- **Purpose:** Improving shoulder stability, relieving pain, and preventing further injury through strength and flexibility exercises.
- **Target Muscles:** Deltoids, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Teres, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis, Biceps, and Triceps.
- **Program Length:** Recommends 4-6 weeks of exercises or as directed by a doctor or physical therapist, with the option for long-term maintenance (2-3 days a week).
- **Structure:** Includes warm-up, stretching exercises, and strengthening exercises, to be done under the supervision of a doctor or physical therapist.
- **Stretching Exercises:** Focuses on various stretches such as Pendulum, Crossover Arm Stretch, Passive Internal/External Rotation, and Sleeper Stretch.
- **Strengthening Exercises:** Focuses on various exercises like Standing Row, External Rotation With Arm Abducted 90°, Internal/External Rotation, Elbow Flexion/Extension, Trapezius Strengthening, Scapula Setting/Retraction/Protraction, and Bent-Over Horizontal Abduction.
The document provides step-by-step directions for each exercise and notes to consult with a doctor or physical therapist if there is any pain or uncertainty about the exercises.