Early after surgery or injury the shoulder needs to maintain some movement to prevent stiffness while trying to avoid damaging any healing tissues. Pendular exercises and table slides are examples of these movements.

Pendular exercises are demonstrated below. It is important that you are bent at the waist so the arm is hanging down like a pendulum. The exercise should be done in sets of 20 repeated 4 times per day. The arm is moved forwards and backwards, side to side and in increasing circles as pain allows. As shown below

The table slide exercises are performed with arms resting a kitchen work top height and then stepping back.

Also watch  the video demonstration of pendular exercises below.

Andrew Brooksbank, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Frank Gilroy, Physiotherapy advisor