After the rotator cuff has healed completely post treatment or surgery, several exercises are prescribed as part of physical therapy. Doing these rotator cuff rehab exercises help to strengthen your shoulder muscles with special attention to the rotator cuff muscles that help rotate the arm.
One important thing to remember while performing rotator cuff rehab exercises is that the exercise should not cause any pain. If pain occurs while doing a particular exercise, stop doing it and begin a different exercise.
Before starting your rotator cuff rehab exercises, you need to warm up by lifting your arm and stretching your arms and shoulders. You can do pendulum exercises by bending from the waist and letting your arms move back and forth while hanging down.
Perform the Following Rotator Cuff Rehab Exercises:
Exercise #1 - Lift your injured arm slowly until it is above your head and then bring it down slowly. Count to six while you lift and lower again. Always exhale when you lift your arm and inhale when you bring it down.
Exercise #2 - Use a light weight in each hand and lift your arms up and down, over and above your head. Repeat a set of 20 with each arm.
Exercise #3 - Increase the weights slowly a little each week and stop at the first sign of pain. Start at two ounces of weight in the first week and double it every week.
Exercise #4 - After you complete four rotator cuff rehab exercises, place an icepack on your shoulder for about 20 minutes. If you do all the prescribed rotator cuff rehab exercises 3 or 4 times a week, in a few weeks your rotator cuff muscles will strengthen themselves and you will feel normal again.