Exercises for Shoulder Tendonitis

Tendonitis, a serious condition that affects the mobility of an individual, is characterized by swelling or inflammation of a tendon. In shoulder tendonitis, the tendons around the rotator cuff that makes up the shoulder are swollen, causing pain and loss of mobility. When this happens, simple shoulder strengthening exercises are one of the best treatments.

Pendulum Swings

This exercise will help the full range of motion in a hurt shoulder. To begin, stand next to a desk or table. Place the hand of the arm that does not hurt on the table for support. Bend the knee of the unaffected side and extend the other leg out to the side. Let the arm of the injured shoulder hang over the uninjured side’s foot. Shift your body weight so your injured arm begins to swing as far as you can and still be unaffected by pain. Do 25 swings in a counterclockwise direction. Let the arm come to a natural stop, then do 25 swings in the other direction. Do this exercise three times a day.

Seated Shoulder Press

The seated shoulder press will help build muscle mass in the shoulders. For this exercise, the best thing to have is a machine press, as free weights and barbells may exacerbate an injury.

To start, sit on a bench and grab the press with both hands. If using free weights or a light barbell, make sure the barbell is comfortably placed on the shoulders with hands about shoulder length apart. While sitting, slowly raise the bar using the shoulder muscles. Then slowly lower the bar to the starting position.

Lateral Raises

You will need a pair of dumbbells for lateral raises. This exercise is performed from a standing position. To start, hold a dumbbell in each hand. Make sure they are light enough that they will not cause further injury to your shoulder. Inhale and bring the dumbbells in front of you so your palms are facing each other. As you exhale, slowly bring your arms out so they are straight out of your body, slightly higher than your shoulders. Hold for a beat, then slowly bring your arms back down to the starting position.

Arnold Press

This exercise will help you regain motion in your shoulder. With dumbbells in each hand, stand straight and raise them to your shoulders. When they are in this position, slowly lift them up and rotate your palms so they are facing forward. This will turn the dumbbells 180 degrees. Slowly rotate your palms and lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.