Intermediate Rehabilitation for Shoulder Tendon Repair

Program Overview This is a 7-week, intermediate-level rehabilitation guide for people recovering from a shoulder tendon repair. It is built around 5 sessions per week, about 45 minutes each, and uses a kettlebell, dumbbell, back brace, and balance board alongside hands-on therapy techniques and progressive strengthening. The goal is to gently restore shoulder movement and strength while protecting the repair.

Who This Program Is For and Its Goal This program suits patients who have had a shoulder tendon repair (such as rotator cuff, labrum, AC joint, or biceps tendon) and are ready for intermediate rehabilitation under clinician guidance. The goal is to regain comfortable range of motion, rebuild rotator cuff and scapular muscle strength, and return to everyday arm function safely, one phase at a time, without stressing the healing tissue.

Before You Start Please review these safety notes before beginning. Your clinician should confirm you are ready for this stage and supervise your progress.

Safety Notes and When to Stop This program is not appropriate if you have an unstable fixation or compartment syndrome; your surgeon or clinician must clear you first. Always stop if pain increases during or after exercise and keep a neutral spine during all movements. Stop and call your clinician if you feel sudden sharp pain, new swelling, numbness, weakness, or if your shoulder feels unstable, and follow any sling or bracing instructions you were given.

Weekly Structure Here is how the seven weeks are organized.

How the 7-Week Plan Is Organized You will do 5 sessions per week, roughly 45 minutes each, using your kettlebell, dumbbell, back brace, and balance board as directed. The plan moves in phases: early weeks focus on protection and gentle passive motion, middle weeks add active-assisted movement and light strengthening, and later weeks progress to more active control and resistance work. Your clinician decides when you advance based on the criteria in segment 10, not the calendar alone. Progress gradually and never push through increasing pain.

What a Typical Session Looks Like Each session follows a consistent warm-up, main work, and cool-down pattern.

Warm-Up, Main Work, Cool-Down Begin with gentle warm-up such as pendulum swings and soft-tissue work to the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles. Main work may include joint mobilization, ultrasound, scapular stabilization drills, and progressive resistance with elastic bands and light dumbbells, plus balance-board work as cleared. Cool down with gentle stretching, breathing, and easy range-of-motion movements. Your clinician adjusts equipment and intensity to match your phase and comfort.

Tracking Progress Progress is tracked with outcome measures and phase criteria.

Using Progression Criteria and Outcome Measures Your clinician uses specific milestones, such as reaching certain passive and active range-of-motion targets and pain staying low, to decide when to move to the next phase. Outcome measures like the SPADI, ASES score, goniometric range of motion, manual muscle testing, pain ratings, and the Single Arm Assessment help show whether you are improving. Progress is based on meeting these goals safely, not on speed.

Recovery and Self-Care Rest and self-care support your healing between sessions.

Pain Management, Rest, and Red Flags Keep activity within comfortable limits and stop if pain increases. Follow your clinician's guidance on rest, sling use, and bracing, and avoid heavy lifting or resisted elbow work until cleared. Watch for red flags such as worsening pain at rest, swelling, numbness, coldness, or a sense that the shoulder is giving way, and report them promptly. This guide does not replace personalized medical advice.