Shoulder Exercises: Internal Rotation

Strengthening exercises help make your injured shoulder more stable. To warm up, do flexibility (stretching) exercises first. Your healthcare provider will tell you what size hand weights to use for the strengthening exercise below. If you don’t have hand weights, try using cans of soup instead:

  • With knees bent, lie on a firm surface. Using the hand on the same side as your injured shoulder, grasp a weight. Bend that arm to a right angle (90 degrees).

  • Rest your elbow on the floor.

  • Keeping your elbow next to your side, lower your forearm toward the floor, away from your body. Don't lower your hand all the way to the floor.

  • Slowly return your forearm to your side. Repeat.

  • Work up to 5 to 15 lifts.

    Man lying on back doing internal rotation shoulder exercise with hand weight.

Note: Support your head and neck with a pillow.