Post-op Exercises
| Also See: Living with a Sling Immobiliser Sling Pain Control after Surgery |
For discharge from hospital after shoulder surgery, prior to seeing your own therapist and starting your specific rehab programme.
These exercises will be given to you by the ward physiotherapist.
Ward therapists: Please Print and give this page to the patient.
POSTURE
Correct posture is one of the most important things to achieve following your surgery. It allows the shoulder to move in the way it was supposed to do without placing stresses and strains on the joint and muscles.
See the picture for the correct posture position.
The scapula or shoulder blades should be moved back and down. This is the normal or neutral position for them and should be maintained during all of the exercises
Achieving scapula neutral should be done regularly as soon as possible and can be done with the arm still in the sling.
EXERCISES
You will be expected to perform the following exercises when you leave hospital.
Repeat these exercises four times per day. The number you should perform at each session will be recorded for you by your physiotherapist. Continue these exercises until otherwise advised by your physiotherapist
Hand & Wrist - Keep your arm in the sling and move your hand up and down at the wrist. (Repeat....)
Forearm - With your arm in the sling and the elbow bent at your side, turn the hand to face the ceiling and then the ground.
(Repeat.....)
Shoulder Shrugs - With arm in the sling regularly shrug shoulders up and down and circle forwards and backwards
(Repeat.....)
Elbow - With your arm out of the sling bend and straighten the elbow. (Repeat....)
The exercises below are also early exercises to start some assisted movement of your shoulder and stimulate the muscle and nerve pathways in your shoulder.
NOTE: Perform exercises only AS TOLERATED and within your comfort zone. Do not force or stretch or do if painful.
You can start this exercise now. (Therapist Sign and Date)..............................
Perform ..............times and ..........times per day
Lying on your unaffected side with your affected arm resting on an ironing board.
Slide your hand forward and up. Return to your starting position. Only go as far as comfortable
You can start this exercise now. (Therapist Sign and Date)..............................
Perform ..............times and ..........times per day
Standing in front of a high table, place your hands on the table and step away leaving your hands supported allowing your shoulder to flex. Move away from the table as far as comfortable. Do not force or stretch or do if painful.
You can start this exercise now. (Therapist Sign and Date)..............................
Perform ..............times and ..........times per day
Standing with your affected side towards a high table. Place the hand of your affected arm on the table and step away allowing your shoulder to abduct. Move away from the table as far as comfortable. Do not force or stretch or do if painful.
