Exercises for Periarthritis of the Shoulder

Periarthritis of the shoulder (frozen shoulder) can be managed through the following three exercises:

1. Finger Wall-Climbing Exercise: The patient stands facing a wall and uses the affected hand to slowly “climb” upward along the wall with the fingertips, raising the upper limb as high as possible. At the maximum height reached, the patient holds the position for 2–6 seconds. A mark is made on the wall at this point. The arm is then slowly lowered back to the starting position. This exercise is repeated several times, gradually increasing the height achieved.

2. Contralateral Shoulder Touch: While attempting to raise the affected arm to touch the opposite shoulder or head, the patient slowly rotates the elbow forward and then toward the same side, keeping the palm in contact with the head throughout. When pain arises in the affected shoulder at a certain angle, the position is held for 30 seconds to 1 minute; the pain typically subsides spontaneously.

3. Spinal Touch Behind the Back: With the affected arm extended backward to touch the spine, the forearm and upper back remain in close contact. The back of the hand is moved as far across the midline toward the contralateral lumbar region as possible. Upon reaching a certain height where shoulder pain occurs, the position is maintained for 30 seconds to 1 minute; the pain usually diminishes spontaneously.

Finally, periarthritis of the shoulder is not an intractable condition—symptoms can be relieved rapidly with appropriate treatment and scientifically guided rehabilitation. However, because the direction and degree of shoulder joint restriction vary among individuals, these exercises should always be performed under the supervision of a physician to prevent iatrogenic injury due to improper technique.