Three Shoulder Exercises for Wheelchair and Crutches Users

Keeping your shoulders healthy should be a top priority, especially if you use a wheelchair or crutches (or both).

These three simple shoulder exercises will go a long way toward keeping your shoulders healthy by strengthening your rotator cuffs. You won’t notice it in the mirror – rotator cuffs aren’t “mirror” muscles, like biceps – but you will be able to push your wheelchair or walk with crutches much longer without risking pain and injury.

As the most complex joint in your body, your shoulder joint is an amazing piece of engineering. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most injury-prone, particularly when it comes to your rotator cuffs. Rotator cuffs are a group of muscles in each shoulder that allow a wide range of movement while maintaining the stability of the glenohumeral joint.

Anyone can injure their rotator cuffs by playing sports like tennis. But if you use your shoulders every day to push a wheelchair or walk with crutches, you’re even more at risk. If you’re not careful, your rotator cuffs can easily be injured through weakness, repetitive use, and/or tightness from lack of stretching (more on the best shoulder stretches in a future post).

So, without further ado, here are three shoulder exercises you should be doing regularly. (As always, talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise or exercise program.)

Side-Lying Internal Rotations

1. Lie on your side on a mat or weight bench with your head resting on a pillow, and bend your knees slightly. Your lower arm (the one you’re resting on) is going to do the work.
2. Bend that elbow at a right angle holding a dumbbell; rotator cuffs are small, so start with a three or five-pound weight so you don’t overdo it.
3. Rotate your arm inwards, lifting the dumbbell towards the ceiling.
4. Hold the position at the top for one second, then lower the dumbbell back down under control. Don’t jerk the dumbbell up and down, and stop immediately if you feel any pain.
5. Repeat 5 to 15 times, or as instructed by your healthcare provider.

Side-Lying External Rotations

1. Lie on your left side with your head on a pillow.
2. Hold a five-pound dumbbell in your hand.
3. Bend your arm in front of you at a 90-degree angle, then lower the dumbbell to the floor. Rest your forearm on your stomach.
4. Slowly lift the dumbbell up in front of your torso, keeping your forearm pressed against your stomach. Stop when the dumbbell is raised slightly higher than your elbow.
5. Hold this position for one second and slowly lower the weight back down until your arm is in the starting position.
6. Repeat 5 to 15 times, or as instructed by your healthcare provider.

Prone External Rotation at 90-degree Abduction

This exercise isn’t as complicated as the same would suggest. However, you will need a weight bench or padded table.

1. Lie face down on the bench or table with your working arm hanging over the side.
2. Hold a light dumbbell and bend your arm 90 degrees, raising your elbow to shoulder height.
3. While holding your arm in this position, rotate the hand that’s holding the dumbbell upward until it’s near your head and even with your elbow. Keep your arm bent at a right angle.
4. Hold this position for one second and slowly rotate your arm downward to the starting position.
5. Repeat 5 to 15 times, or as instructed by your healthcare provider.