Shoulder Rehabilitation & Rotator Cuff Exercises
Shoulder pain can affect everything from sleeping to lifting, reaching, and exercising. At Body Mechanix, we regularly help patients in Tauranga and Papamoa recover from rotator cuff injuries, impingement syndrome, postural strain, and sports-related shoulder conditions.
These rehabilitation exercises focus on restoring shoulder stability, improving mobility, and strengthening key muscle groups. Resistance band (TheraBand) exercises and controlled strengthening movements help support the joint and reduce future injury risk.
Shoulder rehabilitation should be progressive and structured — especially after injury or surgery. Proper technique is essential to avoid aggravating symptoms.
If your shoulder pain persists, worsens, or limits your daily activities, we recommend booking a physiotherapy assessment so we can guide you safely through your recovery journey.
Shoulder Exercises
Prone extension
- Lie on your belly, hand under your forehead
- Breathe deep into your belly and lower back
- Draw shoulder blades down and “wrap around ribcage”- you can push gently into elbows
- Visualize being pulled by a piece of string on top of the head- “long spine”
- Keep chin tucked in and slowly lift the neck, lift from the mid back rather than lower back
Wall plank
- Forearms on the wall, hands spread out
- “long spine”
- Shoulder blades down and “wrapped around ribcage”
- Slide one arm up and down the wall while stabilizing with the other arm
Wall plank with rotation
As per the wall plank, this time rotate the body away from the fixed arm, the point of rotation shoulder be the shoulder joint.
Reach Roll and Lift
Kneel down and allow back to round.
Slid arm forward until arm straight.
Rotate your arm so that it’s facing up.
Raise your right arm and hold.
Repeat the practitioner’s instructions
Thoracic rotation with reach
Rib rolling
- Lie on your side with hips stacked and top knee on top of the roller or large
- Pillow under neck
- Press the top tight into the pillow/roller gently
- Slide the top hand under the ribcage
- Breathe in and as you breathe out rotate your ribcage (use your hand to help stretch)
- Repeat x 10 on each side
Core Exercises
Rolling
Tips
- Lead movement with the head
- Give yourself an object to reach for
- Use a rolled-up towel/blanket to chalk up one side if you are unable to do
- Do no more than x5 repetitions each way, aim to do twice a day
WATCH A VIDEO HERE (Rolling Upper Body)
WATCH A VIDEO HERE (Rolling Lower Body)
90/90 breathing with core activation
- Feet up on a chair
- Breathe into the belly and lower back
- Gently draw in lower abdominals (20%) and hold while continue breathing
- Hold for ______ breaths (as advised by practitioner)
PROGRESSIONS
- Push hands into the wall over your head, wrap shoulder blades around the ribcage
- Take away the chair and keep the legs in a 90/90 position
- Lower one leg slowly from the 90/90 position
Hip Exercises
Cook hip lift
- Lie on your back with knees bent up
- Pull one knee tightly to the chest. To make sure that the knee stays tightly against the chest place a tennis ball just under the bottom rib so that the thigh must pin the tennis ball in place.
- The opposite knee stays bent at 90 degrees and the foot stays planted on the floor
- Push that foot into the floor at the heel and extend the hips upward. Do not allow the tennis ball to fall out of place. You should feel a very good isolation and contraction of the glutes.
Hip Bridge
- Lying on your back with knees up
- Lift up hips, only until the body is in a straight line, do not overextend and do not overgrip buttocks
- Lower down slowly
Modified Side Bridge
Half Kneeling
- Arms relaxed by the side
- The rearfoot should be flat (not like in the image)
- Pelvis level
- The body should be relaxed
Thera-band Tubing Shoulder External Rotation
Securely attach the middle of the tubing to a door or sturdy object. Place a rolled-up towel under your arm. Bend your elbow at your side and bring your forearm in front of your body. Grasp handle and pull outward, keeping your elbow by your side, and forearm parallel to the ground. Hold and slowly return. Keep your wrist straight.
Thera-band Tubing Shoulder Internal Rotation
Securely attach the middle of the tubing to a door or sturdy object. Place a rolled-up towel under your arm. Bend your elbow at your side. Grasp handle and pull across your body, keeping your elbow by your side, and forearm parallel to the ground. Hold and slowly return. Keep your wrist straight.
Thera-band Tubing Shoulder Serratus Press
Attach one end of the tubing to a door or sturdy object behind you at shoulder level. Grasp the handle with your arm at shoulder level with your elbow straight to start the exercise. Push the handle forward, keeping your elbow and wrist straight. Hold and slowly return.
Wall Angles
- Stand with your back to the wall. Bend knees slightly, so the whole back can touch the wall, from the base of the spine to the back of the head.
- Place arms in the position shown below, keeping arms, elbows and hands touching the wall.
- Touch hands together overhead.
- Repeat the practitioner’s instructions.
- To make it easier, do the same exercise lying on the floor.
Chin Retraction
- In sitting, standing or lying position, use neck muscles to pull the chin back, as if you are making a double chin.
- Repeat the practitioner’s instructions.
