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Shoulder Rotator cuff tear help video Early Rehabilitation exercises

  • Flexibility, Injuries, Stability & Strength
  • Easy
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This is an instructional video to correctly demonstrate how to manage a Shoulder Rotator cuff tear with Early Rehabilitation exercises.

The content in this video is provided for general information purposes only and is not meant to replace a physiotherapy or medical consultation.

Step by Step

  1. The Rotator cuff is a group of muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.
  2. They are Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis and Teres Minor.
  3. The Rotator cuff basically aids movement of the shoulder joint by keeping the shoulder joint tight in the socket. It also controls translation, which is basically keeping it in the centre of the socket.
  4. It is also very important with sensorimotor control & proprioception.
  5. So a Rotator cuff tear is a tear in the tendon of one of these muscles, most commonly affected is Supraspinatus.
  6. Function can be heavily affected by a rotator cuff tear. In some cases the lack of use can cause the shoulder to stiffen and lose movement.
  7. If this is the case then the following exercises should help
  8. Firstly it is important that before you follow this video that you have a firm diagnosis of a rotator cuff tear and have read the disclaimer for this video.
  9. General Range of movement exercises:
  10. Remember these exercises should be pain free during after and the next day. The most that you should feel is a strong stretch sensation
  11. Each exercise should be held for 20-30 seconds at the end of range and you should aim to perform all of these exercises between 4 to 6 times per day
  12. Flexion
  13. Stand facing a wall and lift your arm up and out in front of your body and place your hand on the wall. Now lean your body forwards at your hips so that you feel the stretch in your shoulder
  14. Abduction
  15. Stand side on to a wall and lift your arm up and out to the side and place your hand on the wall. Now lean your body sideways so that you feel the stretch in your shoulder
  16. External rotation
  17. Standing in a door way with the palm of your hand on the frame. While keeping your elbow by your side at all times, step your body around until you feel a stretch
  18. Hand behind back
  19. Take hold of a towel at one end and dangle it down your back. Now with the arm you want to stretch, grab hold of the other end of the towel.
  20. Next use the upper arm to pull the towel up and over the shoulder so that it stretches your lower arm up your back.
  21. Flexibility takes time to establish so be patient as it could takes several months to achieve improvements
  22. Alongside restoring your movement you will need to progressively load and strengthen the rotator cuff itself.
  23. If your tear is quite painful and limiting then you should start with basic exercises first.
  24. Here are some good ones to begin with:
  25. Isometric shoulder strengthening exercises
  26. Remember these exercises should be pain free during after and the next day.
  27. Each exercise should be held for 10 seconds with a pressure that is below your pain threshold, therefore it shouldn’t increase your pain at all. If it does then push with less pressure.
  28. You should aim to build up to 4 sets of this exercise with a few minutes between your sets
  29. You should aim to perform all of these exercises twice per day
  30. It is also important to perform all exercises in a good posture at all times.
  31. Flexion
  32. Stand facing a wall put with hand into a fist and bend your elbow to 90 degrees, next push your arm forwards so that you are pressing your fist into the wall and hold.
  33. Abduction
  34. Stand side on to a wall so that your shoulder is nearly touching it. Next bend your elbow to 90 degrees and your palm is facing away from the wall. Take your arm out to the side so that your hand and whole forearm are touching the wall and push into the wall and hold.
  35. External rotation
  36. Stand side on to a wall so that your shoulder is nearly touching it. Next bend your elbow to 90 degrees and your palm is facing away from the wall. Keep your elbow in, touching your side at all times
  37. Next turn your arm out pivoting your elbow on your hip and press the hand against the wall and hold
  38. Internal rotation
  39. Stand side on in a door way. Next bend your elbow to 90 degrees and your palm is facing towards the door frame. Keep your elbow in, touching your side at all times
  40. Next turn your arm inwards pivoting your elbow on your hip and press the palm of your hand against the door frame and hold
  41. Strength takes time to establish so be patient as it could takes several weeks to achieve improvements.
  42. Once these group of exercises become easy then you will need to progress to harder and more advanced exercises.
  43. Alongside these basic early strengthening exercises you need to improve the stability of your shoulder. The first exercise for this is Shoulder stabilisation in sitting
  44. It works the muscles in a closed chain position, which increases rotator cuff activity.
  45. It is a good exercise if you have restricted movement or significant pain but it is important to know that you will need to advance to other exercises as you improve.
  46. Sit in a good posture with palms resting on a surface by your sides.
  47. Gently lean sideways so the shoulder takes a little weight.
  48. Repeat with the other side
  49. Perform 10 repetitions for each side and repeat for 3 sets in total.
  50. Once you have mastered this then the next basic level stability exercise is Shoulder stabilisation in standing
  51. It works the muscles in a closed chain position, which increases rotator cuff activity.
  52. It is a good exercise if you have restricted movement or significant pain but it is important to know that you will need to advance to other exercises as you improve.
  53. Stand leaning forwards slightly, with your forearms on a wall so that the shoulders take a little weight.
  54. Keeping your posture good, shift your weight from side to side very slightly.
  55. Perform 10 repetitions for each side and repeat for 3 sets in total.
  56. Once you have progressed through these basic exercises you will need to move onto intermediate strengthening and stability exercises, which will be in the next video.

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Put simply this is Physio done via either telephone or video over the internet. Skype and facetime are examples of this.

Contrary to popular belief online physiotherapy can be very effective and it can help the same injuries that face to face physio can help. I have helped many people with injuries such as disc prolapses, tennis elbow, neck pain and much more).