Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretches - Ask Doctor Jo

Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretches: http://www.AskDoctorJo.com Doctor Jo shows you some great stretches to help with shoulder internal rotation. For more physical therapy videos or to see my blog post about this video, visit http://www.askdoctorjo.com/content/sh...

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Internal rotation of the shoulder is very important because it is the motion that allows us to reach behind our backs. This helps us with every day activities including washing our backs to wiping our bottoms.

For the first stretch, lie down on your back with your arm out to your side at a ninety-degree angle. Your elbow should also be at a ninety-degree angle. Then gently push your arm down towards the ground or bed. Try to keep your shoulder down for this. If your shoulder comes up off the ground, then you will no longer be getting a good stretch. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat it 3 times.

Next is the sleeper stretch. Roll onto your side with the arm that needs to be stretched on the ground. Put your arm directly out in front of you at about ninety-degrees. Take your other hand and gently apply pressure to your arm pushing it downward for a stretch. Hold it for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Finally is the towel stretch. Standing up or sitting in a chair. Take a towel with your good arm, and drape it back behind your shoulder. Grab the towel below and behind your back with the arm to be stretched. Gently pull upward with the good arm, pulling the bad arm up the back. You can hold this for 30 seconds, repeating 3 times, or you can pull it up and down 10 times continuously.

DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information is only intended to show you the correct technique for physical therapy exercises and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. So seriously, check with your healthcare professional before doing these techniques. If you experience any pain or difficulty while doing these exercises, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.