Shoulder Exercises, Phase 1: Calm and Move

Auto Injury Chiropractic · Home Exercise Library

Shoulder Exercises, Phase 1: Calm and Move

SH-1 · Version 1.0, October 2026

This phase works on calming sore tissue and restoring basic shoulder motion in all directions without making the injured muscles work, and on opening up the front of the chest, which usually gets tight after a crash. There is no weight lifting yet; this phase builds a foundation. Get checked by a provider before you start. If you are our patient, your provider will show you each exercise.

How often: Daily. Your first session of the day takes about 15 minutes. The second takes about 10, because Exercise 5 is done 1 time a day. See each exercise's dose.

What "no pain" means: Each exercise should not cause sharp pain. A small stretch is okay. If something hurts, stop. Try a smaller motion. If it still hurts, skip that one and tell your provider.

Do not use these exercises if:

• You may have a broken bone in your shoulder, collarbone, or upper arm. Wait until your provider checks your scans and says it is safe.
• You have any of the warning signs listed under red flags.
• Your shoulder has sudden weakness (you cannot lift your arm against gravity), or it pops out, dislocates, or feels unstable. Your provider has not yet cleared you with imaging.
• You have numbness, tingling, or weakness running down your arm or into your hand. This can be a nerve injury. Wait for provider clearance.
• Your shoulder has sharp pain even at rest, or you cannot lift your arm at all on your own. Wait for provider clearance before starting.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Dose: 2 times a day, 5 minutes each
You need: A chair, or a spot to lie down

How to do it

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Or sit up tall in a chair. Arms relaxed at your sides.
2. Put one hand on your belly. Put the other on the side of your ribs (use the uninjured side if one shoulder is hurt).
3. Breathe in slow through your nose for 4 seconds. Feel your belly rise AND your ribs spread to the sides.
4. Breathe out slow through your mouth for 6 seconds. Let your shoulders and neck relax.
5. Keep going for 5 minutes. Do this two times a day.

Too hard? Try this: If feeling rib motion is hard, lie down with a folded towel under your low back. Or just focus on belly motion and skip the rib part.

Too easy? Try this: On each exhale, gently let your shoulders drop down away from your ears.

2. Pendulum Exercise (Codman's)

Dose: 2 times a day, 30 seconds each way (2 minutes in all)
You need: A sturdy chair, counter, or table to lean on

How to do it

1. Stand next to a sturdy chair, table, or counter. Bend forward at the hips so your trunk is at about a 45 to 90 degree angle.
2. Rest your uninjured hand on the chair/counter for support. Let your injured arm hang straight down toward the floor like a pendulum, completely relaxed.
3. Use your HIPS and BODY to make small circles. The injured arm hangs and swings; the muscles do not work to move it.
4. Make small clockwise circles for 30 seconds, then counterclockwise circles for 30 seconds.
5. Then switch to forward-and-back swings for 30 seconds, then side-to-side swings for 30 seconds.

Too hard? Try this: Make smaller circles. Or shorten to 20 seconds per direction. Lean against the counter with your whole forearm for more support.

Too easy? Try this: Hold a small light weight (1 to 3 pounds, or a soup can) in the hanging hand to add gentle traction. Make slightly larger circles.

3. Passive Shoulder ROM with Dowel

Dose: 2 times a day, 8 to 10 reps in each direction
You need: A broom, wooden dowel, golf club, or PVC pipe, about 3 feet long

How to do it

1. Stand or sit tall. Hold the broom with both hands, palms facing down. Hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Flexion (forward and up): let the uninjured arm push the broom forward and up. The injured shoulder is along for the ride. Move only as high as you can without sharp pain. Lower slowly. Do 8 to 10 reps.
3. Abduction (out to the side): use the uninjured arm to push the broom AWAY from the injured side. The injured arm gets carried outward. Lower slowly. Do 8 to 10 reps.
4. Adduction (across the body): hold the broom with both hands at chest height in front of you. Use the uninjured arm to pull the broom ACROSS your body toward the uninjured side. The injured arm crosses passively in front of your chest. Stop where you feel a gentle stretch in the BACK of the injured shoulder. Do 8 to 10 reps.
5. Extension (backward): hold the broom behind your back with both hands. Use the uninjured arm to slowly pull the broom AWAY from your low back. The injured arm gets gently extended backward. Do 8 to 10 reps. The injured shoulder muscles should do ZERO work in any of these motions.

Too hard? Try this: If BOTH shoulders are injured, skip the broom. Stand facing a kitchen counter or sturdy table about 2 to 3 feet away. Place both forearms on the counter, palms down. Slowly bow at your hips, dropping your trunk DOWN while keeping your forearms on the counter. Your arms naturally lift overhead as your trunk lowers. Stop where you feel a stretch, NOT pain. Hold 5 seconds. Slowly stand back up. Do 8 reps.

Too easy? Try this: Increase the range slightly. Or add a 5-second hold at the end of each motion before returning.

4. Doorway Pec Stretch

Dose: 2 times a day, 30-second hold each side
You need: A doorway

How to do it

1. Stand in a doorway. Place your forearm flat against the door frame, elbow bent 90 degrees and level with your shoulder.
2. Your upper arm is parallel to the floor. Your forearm points straight up along the frame.
3. Slowly step the same-side foot through the doorway so your body rotates AWAY from the arm. Keep the forearm pressed against the frame.
4. You should feel a gentle stretch across the front of your chest and shoulder. Stop at gentle, not aggressive.
5. Hold 30 seconds with slow belly breathing. Slowly come out. Switch sides. Do 1 hold each side.

Too hard? Try this: Place your forearm a little lower on the frame, so your elbow is below shoulder height. Or hold for only 15 seconds.

Too easy? Try this: Raise the arm slightly higher on the frame (elbow above shoulder). Or hold for 45 seconds.

5. Trigger Point Release for Upper Trap and Levator Scapulae

Only if your provider assigned it.

Dose: 1 time a day, 60 seconds per tender spot, each side
You need: A tennis ball or lacrosse ball, and a wall

How to do it

1. Stand with your back to a wall. Place a tennis ball or lacrosse ball between your upper shoulder blade area and the wall.
2. Position the ball on a tender spot at the TOP of the shoulder (upper trap) or just above the inside top corner of the shoulder blade (levator scapulae).
3. Slowly lean your body weight back into the ball. Find a spot that feels tender but NOT sharp.
4. Stay on that spot. Belly breathe slow and deep for 60 seconds. Let the muscle slowly release.
5. Slowly come off. Move to a different tender spot if needed. Switch sides.

Too hard? Try this: Use a softer ball (tennis ball is softer than lacrosse). Or shorten the time to 30 seconds and build up.

Too easy? Try this: Slowly turn your head AWAY from the side you are releasing while staying on the spot. Or slowly shrug the same-side shoulder up and down.