The Best Exercises For A Separated Shoulder

A separated shoulder isn't an injury to the main ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder — it's an injury to the acromioclavicular joint on top of the shoulder (via Cleveland Clinic) This occurs when the ligaments between the collarbone and shoulder blade are torn, causing them to separate. The end of the shoulder blade, or scapula, is called the acromion. As a result, a separated shoulder is also commonly referred to as an acromioclavicular joint separation.

Signs of a separated shoulder include pain at the top of the shoulder and bruising and swelling in the shoulder area (via Verywell Health). If you think your shoulder might be separated, a doctor can confirm this by conducting a physical examination. They will also most likely take an X-ray of your shoulder to make sure no bones are fractured or broken. If the initial X-ray results are inconclusive, you may be asked to hold a weight in your hand during another X-ray to help accentuate the instability of the acromioclavicular joint.

If you do have a separated shoulder, a doctor or physical therapist will likely give you shoulder exercises to do to help strengthen and rehabilitate your shoulder. According to Livestrong, there are a number of potential exercises you can do. For instance, shoulder rolls are a great way to stretch the muscles and ligaments in your shoulders. You can perform them by either sitting or standing with your feet shoulder-width and gently rolling your shoulders up and down in small circles two-to-four times.

Another great exercise is the neck rotation. To do this, stand or sit up straight, turn your head to the side, and hold it there for 15 to 30 seconds. Then, repeat on the other side. You can also help rehabilitate your shoulder by performing shoulder blade squeezes, which involve standing with your arms down at your sides and pulling your shoulder blades together. For best results, repeat this motion eight to 12 times in a row.