Sternoclavicular Joint Separation Rehabilitation Exercises

  • Chest stretch: Grasp your hands behind your back and lift your arms away from your body. Hold 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
  • Shoulder flexion: Stand with your arms hanging down at your side. Keep your elbow straight and lift your arms up over your head as far as you can reach. Hold the end position for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10.
  • Scaption: Stand with your arms at your sides and with your elbows straight. Slowly raise your arms to eye level. As you raise your arms, they should be spread apart so that they are only slightly in front of your body (at about a 30 degree angle to the front of your body). Point your thumbs toward the ceiling. Hold for 2 seconds and lower your arms slowly. Do 3 sets of 10. Hold a soup can or light weight when doing the exercise and increase the weight as the exercise gets easier.
  • Single-arm shoulder abduction: Stand with your arms at your sides with your palms resting against your sides. With your elbow straight, lift one arm out to the side and toward the ceiling. Hold the position for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Add a weight to your hand as this exercise becomes easier.
  • Shoulder horizontal abduction (single arm): Standing with your arm out in front of you, elbow straight and at shoulder level, move your arm in a horizontal direction out to the side. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
  • Scapular squeeze: While sitting or standing with your arms by your sides, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 5 seconds. Do 3 sets of 10.
  • Supine shoulder flexion: Lie on your back, hold your arm out straight, and move your arm up until your hand is toward the ceiling. Return your arm to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10. As you get stronger, hold a weight in your hand as you do this exercise.
  • Prone shoulder extension: Lie on your stomach on a table or a bed with one arm hanging down over the edge. With your elbow straight, slowly lift your arm straight back and toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10. As this becomes easier, hold a weight in your hand.
  • Horizontal abduction: Lie on a table or the edge of a bed face down with one arm hanging down straight to the floor. Raise your arm out to the side, with your thumbs pointed toward the ceiling until your arms are parallel to the floor. Hold for 2 seconds and then lower it slowly. Start this exercise with no weight. As you get stronger add a light weight or hold a soup can. Do 3 sets of 10.
  • Supine Chest Fly: Hold a small dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back with your knees bent, arms out to your sides and elbows slightly bent. Slowly bring both arms across your chest

until the dumbbells touch. Lower slowly back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10. Gradually increase the amount of weight in your hands.

Written by Tammy White, MS, PT, and Phyllis Clapis, PT, DHSc, OCS, for RelayHealth.

Published by RelayHealth.

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