Progressive Shoulder Loading
A program after which three-quarters of patients avoided surgery
Who it’s for
Shoulder pain during overhead arm work lasting longer than a few months.
How it works
Four stages: isometrics for pain relief, then movement through a pain-free range, then loaded work through full range of motion, then a return to overhead loading. In the Holmgren study, patients on the surgery waitlist who completed twelve weeks of this work proceeded to surgery in only 20% of cases, compared to 63% in the control group. Worth noting: comparison with sham surgery showed that surgery offers no advantage over placebo.
Weekly layout
How load increases
Advance to the next stage when the current one is completed without an increase in pain by the next morning. Pain up to 5 out of 10 during work is acceptable — the key is that it does not accumulate week over week.
Deload
During a flare-up, step back one stage rather than stopping completely.
Tailored to your health
Some exercises will be automatically swapped or removed based on your health profile:
Programs are for guidance only and are not medical advice. Consult a doctor if you have health conditions.
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