Improving Shoulder Capsule Mobility

Key Points: Manual Therapy – Standing Shoulder Capsule Mobilization

1) Patient instruction: Reach hand behind the low back, grab onto a door frame. Make sure the hand does not reach beyond the midline of the body.

2) Practitioner instructions:

– Position the shoulder complex in  a “neutral” position by placing one hand on the inferior lateral angle of the scapula, and the other hand on the anterior shoulder. The forearm of the hand placed on the inferior lateral angle should block the patient’s elbow from “winging out” as the shoulder is pushed into a neutral position.

– Ask patient to look up – the scapula naturally tilts forward in this motion.  To create opposing forces and a stretch, tilt the scapula backwards. Repeat 3 times.

– Ask patient to drive their hips to the right (assuming we are working on the left shoulder) – the scapula naturally rotates downwards in this motion. To create opposing forces and a stretch, rotate the scapula upwards. Repeat 3 times.

– Ask patient to look over their right shoulder – the scapula internally rotates in this motion. To create opposing forces and a stretch, rotate the shoulder externally. Repeat 3 times.

3) If pain is present during this exercise, have patients lower their hand further down their backs.

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