Wall Walks (Finger Walks)
Walking the fingers up a wall to gradually regain overhead reach.
What it helps
Gradually rebuilds overhead reach with the wall sharing the arm's weight — a gentle way to recover motion when lifting the arm freely is still hard.
How to do it
- Stand facing a wall, fingertips on it at about waist height.
- Slowly "walk" your fingers up the wall, letting the shoulder lift the arm as high as is comfortable.
- Walk back down with control. Turn side-on to the wall to work the outward direction too.
Tips
- Let the wall support the arm's weight — that's the point.
- Go only as high as comfortable; a little higher each week.
Commonly done as 2 sets of 5–10, daily.
Where this appears in recovery
Wall Walks (Finger Walks) is part of 28 recovery programs, most often at the regaining motion (weeks 2–6), bone healing (weeks 3–12) and full motion (weeks 2–6) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
- Clavicle Fracture ORIF exercise guide
- Latarjet Procedure exercise guide
- Distal Clavicle Excision exercise guide
- Superior Capsular Reconstruction exercise guide
- Superior Capsular Reconstruction exercise guide
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair exercise guide
- Proximal Humerus Fracture ORIF exercise guide
- Bankart Repair (Shoulder Stabilization) exercise guide
- AC Joint Reconstruction exercise guide
- Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (Anatomic) exercise guide
- SLAP Repair exercise guide
- Open Rotator Cuff Repair exercise guide
- …and 16 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.