A press exercise · shoulder pain
The A press exercise closes out the series by drilling the shoulder blade’s home position: low and back.
The A press is a home shoulder exercise: standing tall with palms forward, you lock the shoulder blades low and back, then glide both straight arms a little outward and back past your hips to spell an A, hold 3 seconds, and return slowly, 10 times.
Skip this one unless it is marked on the home program your physician gave you. Unless your instructions say otherwise, do your marked exercises twice a day, every day, and tick off each session in your log.
Step by step: the A press
- Set up: Stand or sit tall with your arms hanging and your palms turned forward.
- Move: Lock the shoulder blades low and back. Ease both straight arms a little outward and behind your hips, an A shape. Return slowly.
- Count and hold: Hold 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Twice a day.
Why the A press matters after a procedure
Down and back is the home position for the shoulder blade, the setting that protects the joint during lifting, reaching and carrying. The A press trains you to find that position on purpose, so it becomes automatic in the rest of your day and in every other exercise on your list. It is the last step before heavier work for anyone recovering from shoulder pain.
Which mistakes undo it?
- Shoulders creeping up toward the ears.
- Throwing the arms way back.
- Arching the low back.
When to stop for the day
Expect a mild stretch, some effort, and maybe a little soreness the next morning. Quit for the day and phone (314) 886-5620 if you get:
- Numbness, tingling or weakness that was not there before
- A sharp, stabbing pain
- Pain that rises 2 points or more above your starting number and does not settle within an hour
- Lightheadedness, or your vision changing
Fainting, chest pain or a struggle to breathe: dial 911, not our office.
What to remember
- Low and back is home base.
- A small motion. The arms only go a little behind you.
- The low back stays neutral.
Last step. Show us you have it: Right here in the clinic, demonstrate the A, then run through the full I, Y, T, A series once. Unsure about any step? We run through it with you again next time.
Why bring your exercise log?
The log is how we tell the difference between an exercise that is not working and an exercise that is not being done. At each visit your technician counts the sessions you checked off, notes your daily pain number, and watches you do one exercise to correct your form before small errors become habits.
Related reading
- The painstl.com physiotherapy program, every station and test
- Pendulum, another shoulder exercise
- Wall walk, another shoulder exercise
- Outward turn with band, another shoulder exercise
- Band row, another shoulder exercise
- I raise, another shoulder exercise
- Y raise, another shoulder exercise
- T raise, another shoulder exercise
Need the plan built around your injection?
A physician examines you first and decides which shoulder exercises fit your diagnosis and the procedure you had.
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