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Rotator Cuff Exercises — Complete Rehab Program

A 4-phase program from acute pain to full maintenance. Select your current phase, track your daily pain score, and follow clear graduation criteria before advancing.

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Stretch Workouts Coaches
Reviewed by Licensed Physical Therapists

via Jeremy Ethier

When to see a doctor immediately: Night pain that wakes you from sleep, inability to raise your arm above shoulder height, a "pop" with sudden severe pain, significant arm weakness, or shoulder pain following a fall or impact. These are red flags for serious structural injury.

4-Phase Rotator Cuff Program

Interactive Tool

Rotator Cuff Anatomy

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that stabilize the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. They work as a force couple to keep the humeral head centered in the glenoid (socket) during all arm movements.

Injury Types

Tendinitis / Tendinopathy

Inflammation or degeneration of the tendon, typically the supraspinatus. Most common in overhead athletes and desk workers. Usually responds well to conservative treatment (this program).

Impingement Syndrome

The supraspinatus tendon gets compressed between the humeral head and acromion. Pain with overhead reaching and lying on the shoulder. Often related to posture and scapular control.

Partial Tear

Some tendon fibers are torn. Often manageable conservatively. Requires medical imaging (MRI) to diagnose definitively. This program can be used under medical supervision.

Full-Thickness Tear / Post-Surgical

Requires orthopaedic evaluation. Post-surgical rehab should be supervised by a licensed physical therapist. This program can supplement PT — not replace it.

Cross-Reference: Complementary Pages

Add these to your program: While following this rehab program, complement it with our Rotator Cuff Stretches for the stretching component and Resistance Band Shoulder Exercises for prehab/maintenance work when you reach Phase 4.

Sources

  1. Kuhn JE. Exercise in the treatment of rotator cuff impingement. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(1):138-160.
  2. Littlewood C, et al. The quality of exercise instruction for rotator cuff tendinopathy in clinical practice. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2017.
  3. Ainsworth R, Lewis JS. Exercise therapy for the conservative management of full thickness tears of the rotator cuff. Br J Sports Med. 2007.
  4. Kibler WB, Sciascia A. The shoulder at risk: scapular dyskinesis and altered glenohumeral rotation. Instr Course Lect. 2006.