Pendulum Swings

What it helps

Coaxes the shoulder through gentle motion with the muscles relaxed — keeping the joint moving and easing stiffness when active movement is still uncomfortable.

How to do it

1. Lean forward and support your good arm on a table or chair, letting the sore arm hang down relaxed.
2. Let the arm swing gently — small circles, then forward-and-back and side-to-side — using a gentle sway of your body, not the shoulder muscles.
3. Keep it loose and pain-free, like a relaxed pendulum.

Tips

• The movement comes from rocking your body, not from working the shoulder.
• Keep the swings small and comfortable.

Where this appears in recovery

Pendulum Swings is part of 6 recovery programs, typically in the phase 1 stage. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:

• Shoulder Impingement exercise guide
• Shoulder Labral Tear exercise guide
• Shoulder Bursitis (Subacromial) exercise guide
• Shoulder Pain exercise guide
• Rotator Cuff Tear exercise guide
• Shoulder Arthritis exercise guide