By Mary Ann Wilson, RN
Here are some shoulder exercises for anyone who is rehabilitating and recovering from a stroke.
Learning how to exercise your affected side can be your best defense against contractures after a stroke. Let’s learn some exercises for the affected shoulder.
1) Lean out over the side of chair and circle with the affected arm. The circling should come from the shoulder joint. Reverse direction. This exercise warms up the muscles of the rotator cuff.
2) The next exercise will release the scapula and mobilize the shoulder blade. This will help decrease the tonus in the arm. Cradle the elbow of the affected arm close to the chest. Sit up tall and now look over the opposite shoulder. 2x. (Rotate to one side)
3) Reach under arm and shoulder, walk fingers back and gently release scapula.
4) Slide hand down, with affected hand on top of unaffected hand. Clasp affected thumb on top. Lift up and down 2 times, side-to-side 2 times. Circle arms in one direction for a full circle; then reverse direction. End with a chopping motion for trunk rotation.