Author: mifjesaccess

Summer in Dubai often means extreme temperatures, with daily highs frequently exceeding 40°C (104°F). For fitness enthusiasts and those committed to staying active, this season can pose a real challenge. As a sports physiotherapist, I’d like to share some practical advice to help you keep moving safely and effectively despite the heat.

1. Understand How Heat Affects Your Body

When training in high temperatures, your body works hard to regulate its internal temperature — primarily through sweating. This leads to significant fluid and electrolyte loss, which can quickly result in dehydration and, in more serious cases, heatstroke. You may also experience reduced performance, increased heart rate, and a higher risk of injury or fatigue.

2. Hydration Is Non-Negotiable

Staying well-hydrated is absolutely essential, especially in Dubai’s climate. Here are some simple rules to follow:

• Drink regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

• Choose drinks with electrolytes if your workout lasts longer than 45 minutes or if it’s particularly hot.

• Avoid overly sugary drinks, alcohol, or excessive caffeine, as they can worsen dehydration. A useful tip: your urine color is a great hydration indicator. The clearer it is, the better hydrated you are.

3. Adjust the Timing and Intensity of Your Workouts

• Exercise during the coolest parts of the day, typically early morning (before 8 a.m.) or in the evening after sunset.

• Lower the intensity of outdoor sessions — it’s better to train moderately than to push yourself to the limit in extreme heat.

• Progress more gradually if you’re getting back into training or are not yet acclimated to the heat.

4. Embrace Indoor Activities

Summer is the perfect time to try new indoor workout options:

• Strength training, Pilates, yoga, swimming in indoor pools, or indoor climbing are all great alternatives.

• Most gyms and sports centers in Dubai are well air-conditioned and provide a comfortable, safe space to stay active.

5. Listen to Your Body

Always pay attention to how you feel. Unusual fatigue, dizziness, headaches, or nausea are warning signs. If you experience any of these, slow down, hydrate, and rest.

In Summary:

Staying active during Dubai’s summer is absolutely possible — you just need to be smart about it. Hydrate well, pick cooler times of the day to train, make use of indoor facilities, and most importantly, listen to your body. You won’t lose your fitness level by adjusting your routine temporarily — in fact, you’ll be protecting your health and supporting long-term performance.

Take care and keep moving — wisely!

Our shoulders play an essential role in daily life, from basic tasks such as lifting a kettle to more complex movements like a tennis serve. The shoulder is a remarkable joint; it is known as the ball and socket joint of the upper limb which allows us an extensive movement pattern. 

However, this excessive movement pattern comes at a cost and compromises the stability of the joint. Due to the large range of movement in the shoulder, it is heavily reliant upon its muscular and tendon structures. The rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor) is a group of four muscles/tendons that work interchangeably to provide rotational stability to the shoulder joint and are essential for activities such as overhead reaching, lifting, and throwing. Shoulder injuries can be caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors can be changes in tendon health, whether this be due to overuse/overload of the tendon or age-related changes (we age on the inside as well as the outside!) Underlying osteoarthritic changes to the joint surfaces, in particular the acromioclavicular joint can impact on shoulder function. Inflammation of the subacromial bursa that sits between the muscle and bone can also cause shoulder dysfunction. Extrinsic factors include referred pain from the cervical spine (neck), lifestyle choices, smoking has been shown to have a detrimental effect on tendon health, as well as the long-term use of steroid-based medication.

HOW CAN A PHYSIOTHERAPIST HELP ME?

Maintaining and optimizing shoulder function is essential to keep us pain free and independent in our activities of daily life well into our later years. Therefore a specific strength programme that targets these small stabilizing muscles as well as the large global muscles is key. Who is best to help with this… here at the PhysioCentre we have our resident shoulder expert Danielle who can provide you with a Shoulder Check-up. This will comprise of a thorough discussion on your shoulder symptoms, hobbies, lifestyle and what you want out of your shoulder i.e. to lift 60 kg above head, play tennis three times a week or simply carry your child pain free. Based on this information an assessment of your shoulder function will be undertaken. Key markers she will look out for are abnormal muscle and movement patterns, rotator cuff control and strength, particularly overhead. Assessing for any joint or muscle stiffness that maybe impacting on rotator cuff activation. Observations of the lower kinetic chain will also be undertaken. The power in our shoulders is only 30%, the rest is generated from the lower kinetic chain (core/gluteals). Most sporting/lifting activities require the translation of force from the lower body into the shoulder. Based on all of this information, an individualized physiotherapy strength programme can be implemented to help you on your journey to maintaining healthy and happy shoulders!

TOP TIPS FOR A HEALTHY, HAPPY SHOULDER:

1. Isolated rotational control exercises for the rotator cuff are super important

2. Build a good foundation- scapula humeral rhythm is critical to good shoulder movement patterns.

3. Proprioception- strong shoulders need to know their position in space.

4. Work the kinetic chain- whole body functional movement patterns

5. Ditch the smoking and eat clean (tendons like protein)

6. Last but not least, sleep- this is when the body repairs and regenerates

STRUGGLING WITH SHOULDER PAIN?

Book an appointment today at The PhysioCentre with our resident shoulder expert Danielle for your full shoulder Check-up and make those first steps in having a pain-free shoulder!

From March 12th to 13th, 2025, Dubai will host an exceptional event: the Dragon Boat Race. 

This event, bringing together teams of paddlers from around the world, offers a thrilling spectacle and a challenging physical test.

Dragon Boat races require great team cohesion and intense physical strength. However, as with any high-level sport, the risk of injuries is present. Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in both injury prevention and recovery for athletes. Before the competition, physiotherapists can conduct specific physical preparation sessions to strengthen the muscles that will be heavily used, particularly the back, shoulders, and arms. Stretching and mobilization exercises also help prepare the body for the intense effort required during the race.

Post-Race Physiotherapy: Essential Recovery

After a Dragon Boat race, recovery is essential to prevent injuries and help athletes regain their full strength quickly. Post-race physiotherapy focuses on several key aspects:

1. Recovery massage: It helps reduce muscle tension built up during the race and promotes blood circulation, allowing the removal of toxins produced by intense effort, such as lactic acid.

2. Stretching and relaxation exercises: Targeted stretching sessions help relax the overworked muscles, particularly those in the back, arms, and shoulders. These exercises can also improve flexibility and prevent muscle stiffness after the competition.

3. Functional rehabilitation: In the case of minor injuries (sprains, tendinitis), specific techniques are used to restore the mobility and strength of the affected joints. This helps prevent more serious injuries and allows athletes to return to training safely.

By integrating these post-race treatments into their routine, paddlers can not only prevent injuries but also optimize their performance and recover faster after the effort. Thus, physiotherapy becomes an essential asset for all Dragon Boat athletes, helping them maximize their chances of success while protecting their bodies.

Despite the Gov Games still being 1 month away, teams will already be well into training, and building up the team spirit to take on this ever-growing competition.

Originally started in 2018 to provide an active competition between Dubai Government Departments, the weekend has now grown to include government entities from all emirates of the UAE, community teams and international teams. The challenges are diverse from pure fitness, to pure strength, coordination and brain power, but above all, TEAMWORK.

Because of this diversity, training for the Gov Games comes with its own unique challenges. The pressure is on to ensure you prepare for all the possibilities, but it is increased because you have to fit it around your work. We’ve seen plenty of burnout during the lead up to Gov Games for multiple reasons, so it’s important to remember the 4 pillars of the Gov Games –

Together – We are the building blocks of our community

Inspire – Sports bring out the best in us, let’s find our motivation and inspiration Tolerance – We honour our city; it’s diversity and it’s unity

One Spirit – To celebrate what makes us different and what makes us the same

The pillars are bigger than a win, so look after yourself in the lead up and get prepared!

What would The Physio Centre Dubai suggest for your preparation?

1. Start Early – as mentioned above, there is a lot of areas to cover in terms of the expectations in the Gov Games, so get yourselves together early, start training early and get planning early

2. Plan – Look at your team. Test a few different things to get an idea about strengths and weaknesses, then plan your training and your plan of attack around these strengths and weaknesses. Do you want to build on the strengths, or build on the weaknesses. Plan some social events to help build team comradery, and most importantly, plan your training.

a. It will never suit everybody, so work out the best options allowing every to partake equally. It’s common in Gov Games training to bring in a coach. Get them early, ask them for a plan of how they will train you, where the focus will be, what location and times will be confirmed.

3. Routine – develop one. Each individual in the team will differ depending on their other daily requirements, but try to create a regular sleeping and waking time, a regular diet, some social time with family and friends outside Gov Games training – you don’t want it to become all-encompassing this early on, because that increases the risk of burn out and injury.

a. A subcategory here is Diet! Recovery fuel is carbohydrates – but not the super sugary, processed ones. Think rice, potatoes, pastas, breads, fruits. But Repair fuel is protein – meat, fish, chicken etc. eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt, protein shakes.

b. So post training, you might consider these sort of options –

i. Snack option: ¾ cup Greek yogurt + 1 cup strawberries + 2 tbsp granola + 1 tbsp ground flax

ii. Meal option: Wrap, two slices bread or 1 potato with 4 ounce chicken, 2 scrambled eggs or 4 ounce tempeh, veggies/leafy greens, ¼ cup smashed avocado

c. Remember that diet is important all day, everyday whilst training. SO ensuring you have quality foods going in – wholefoods rich in protein and carbohydrates, will aid in maximising performance.

d. Don’t forget HYDRATION. Drink water, but also consider adding to it a salt tablet or a electrolyte tablet to keep a balance in the system!

The Physio Centre Dubai’s ideal training week –

1. 4-5 days a week – you’re not a World Champion and you’re not playing for oil rigs

a. These training sessions will need to include strength tasks, fitness tasks, strength and fitness together, gymnastic skills, team challenges to work together and define the roles each person plays.

2. 1 full rest day. Meet your friends and family, head to the cinema, maybe have a walk. Try to avoid anything Gov Games related!

3. 1 active rest day – here we allow yoga, pilates, walking, a light swim – or nothing at all if that suits you. Try to break the rest days up so you haven’t got the rest day and the active rest days next to each other.

The point of rest days and active rest days are to allow your body to heal from the training you are doing. Each time we train with intensity, micro damage is done to the skeletal system – muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and bones. Allowing adequate time to heal, means that when you train again, the body is ready for it. When you DON’T allow adequate time to heal, the risk of injury increases and this reduces your chance of being able or ready to compete in February.

​

4. Listen to your body – both for fatigue, disinterest, pain, stiffness. All of these are signs of over training, not recovering sufficiently, not fuelling properly and possible stress. The sooner you observe and act on these symptoms, the less time it’ll take to recover.

5. Ask for help – This is such an underused aid in recovery and maintenance. Asking for help from your team mates, coach/manager, work mates, family, friends or medical team is the most efficient way to move forward. It could be help for injuries, work tasks, family expectations, or training tasks. Let’s move past our independence and become a big helpful community.

Good luck all!

2025 Government Games

20-23 Feb 2025

https://govgames.ae

As rugby and American football seasons begin in the UAE, all clubs and players will prepare for the physical demands of contact sports. Alongside fitness and tactics, concussion management must remain a priority. Concussion is one of the most common injuries in these sports, with rates in elite rugby estimated at 4–5 per 1,000 player-hours across levels, and up to 23 per 1,000 player-hours during Rugby World Cup competition (Fuller et al., 2021; Tucker et al., 2021). In American collegiate football, game concussion rates average 3.74 per 1,000 athlete-exposures, with many cases also occurring in practice (Kerr et al., 2019).

The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) is widely used to support clinical evaluation of suspected concussion. SCAT includes a symptom checklist, cognitive screening, balance assessment and coordination tests. First introduced in 2005, the SCAT has undergone several upgrades, with the SCAT6 published in 2023 as part of the 6th Concussion in Sport Group consensus statement (Echemendia et al., 2023). While many governing bodies still reference the SCAT5, the SCAT6 is widely used across world sport in 2025.

It is important that clinicians understand that the SCAT is not a standalone diagnostic and must be interpreted alongside clinical judgment and detailed assessment. Pre-season baseline SCAT testing can provide objective data for comparison after an injury. Research suggests test–retest reliability varies across SCAT components, with moderate reliability for balance measures and greater variability in cognitive scores (Manley et al., 2017; Gaetz et al., 2022). What this means, is that there can be small changes in results if one person completes the testing multiple different times, and as clinicians we need to allow a certain grace for this.

For athletes with a history of concussion, neurological conditions or other risk factors, baseline testing can improve the interpretation of post-injury scores (Schneiders et al., 2010). However, comparison against normative data (the average) may be sufficient in some cases, particularly where resources are limited (Nelson et al., 2016).

In rugby, concussion protocols differ between elite and community levels. Since 2022, elite players with confirmed concussion follow a minimum 12-day graduated return-to-play process, often under the supervision of an independent concussion consultant (World Rugby, 2022a). For the community game and for the main bulk of players in the UAE, World Rugby mandates a 21-day stand-down from all match play, starting from the day of injury, followed by a staged reintroduction to non-contact and then contact training (World Rugby, 2022b). This protocol recognises the slower average recovery times in non-professional settings, where medical and rehabilitation resources may be more limited.

American football has similar return-to-play frameworks, with stepwise progression from symptom-free rest to full contact, guided by medical clearance (McCrory et al., 2017). Across both sports, the principle remains clear: if a head injury is suspected, the athlete does not return to play the same day.

For clubs within the UAE, the start of the season is the ideal moment to embed concussion management into the routine. A structured approach might include a short educational session for players and coaches, baseline SCAT testing where feasible, and clear documentation of each player’s medical and concussion history. Pre-season is also an opportunity to modify training to reduce unnecessary head impacts, particularly in contact drills.

Ultimately, concussion management is not just a medical responsibility—it is a culture that should be set with a club. When players, coaches and support staff understand the risks and adhere to evidence-based protocols, the chances of safe recovery improve, and the integrity of the sport is protected.

If you or your club are interested in learning more about testing and concussion protocol, give me an email on dkennedy@physiocentre.ae and we can arrange a call!

References

Echemendia, R. J., et al. (2023). The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 6 (SCAT6): Standardised tool for evaluating athletes for concussion. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(11), 695–707. Fuller, C. W., Tucker, R., & Starling, L. (2021). Rugby World Cup 2019: Injury surveillance and concussion incidence. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(12), 678–684. Gaetz, M., et al. (2022). Test–retest reliability of the SCAT5 in elite athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25(9), 765–771. Kerr, Z. Y., et al. (2019). Concussion incidence and trends in collegiate football. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(11), 2629–2637. Manley, G., et al. (2017). A systematic review of test–retest reliability of SCAT components. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(12), 944–951. McCrory, P., et al. (2017). Consensus statement on concussion in sport—5th International Conference. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(11), 838–847. Nelson, L. D., et al. (2016). Normative data for SCAT3 in high school and collegiate athletes. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 26(5), 453–459. Schneiders, A. G., et al. (2010). Utility of baseline testing in concussion diagnosis. Journal of Athletic Training, 45(5), 512–519. World Rugby. (2022a). Elite Rugby concussion return to play protocols. https://www.world.rugby/the-game/player-welfare/medical/concussion World Rugby. (2022b). Community Rugby concussion guidance. https://www.world.rugby/the-game/player-welfare/medical/concussion

A difficult blog to write! The best car, the best hotel, the best phone…not a ‘one size fits all’ answer. Therefore defining the best exercises for lower back pain is difficult.

There are thousands of exercises for the lower back all with different aims, different structures targeted and different levels of ability. Exercise prescription varies from patient to patient, dependent on clinic presentation, levels of pain and what we are trying to achieve in our physiotherapy sessions e.g. mobility or strength.

In this post, I’ll give some examples of exercises that I like to give to my patients with lower back pain or simply anyone who would benefit from improving their mobility. These exercises are all focused on mobility, rather than strengthening. It’s perfectly normal to feel a stretch or some mild discomfort when stretching or performing mobility exercises, however, we shouldn’t experience pain. So some discomfort during the exercise is okay, but pain lasting a few hours is not what we want!

You should work within your own ability and mobility, slowly increasing your frequency, intensity of exercises, and overall stretching sensation. You can start by holding these stretches for a few seconds only, then gradually build to 10, 20, 30 as so on. It can take a number of weeks to months to increase flexibility, mobility and strength, so be patient and gradual increase every few weeks.

Here are my best physiotherapy back pain exercises for the lower back:

1. Cat/cow or angry cat/happy cat

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Slowly arch your back, pushing your spine up to the ceiling to form a curve.
• Then slowly arch the back the opposite way pushing your stomach towards the ground.

2. Knee rolls/lumbar rotation

• Start by lying on your back with your knees bent.
• Slowly drop the knees out to the side to feel rotation in the lower back.
• Repeat both sides.

3. Child’s pose

• Starting on your hands and knees.
• Slowly sit back onto your feet, focusing on controlled breathing and relaxing into this resting position.

4. Child’s pose with side bent

• As above, but walking your hands slightly to one side to feel more of a stretch in your side.

5. Knees to chest

• Start by lying on your back.
• Use your arms to hug your knees into your chest.
• If you find both legs difficult, try doing one at a time.

6. Transverse Abdominis activation – A key muscle in your core that helps with stabilisation and trunk focus.

• Start by laying on your back with your knees bent.
• Place your fingers about 2cm in from the bony bits on the front of your hips and push down slightly.
• Now try to pull your stomach in and up – but don’t hold your breath!
• You should feel the muscles contract under your fingers and be able to breathe normally.

7. Seated Rotation – A great one for those busy days in the office.

• Sit unsupported in a chair.
• Rotation the entire trunk and upper body to look over your shoulder.
• Repeat both sides.

8. Pelvic tilts

• Starting on your back with knees bent.
• Pull in your stomach muscles and pelvic floor, slowly tucking your tail bone under you to tilt your pelvis forward.
• Relax back to neutral.
• Then gradual arch your back off the floor, causing the pelvic to tilt backwards.

Padel tennis has recently exploded onto the Dubai scene thanks to the thriving social scene and expatriate culture. The sport was invented in Acapulco Mexico by Enrique Corcuera in 1969 and combines action with fun and social interaction. It’s a great sport for players of all ages and skills as it is not dominated by strength, technique, and serve. Padel is a mix of tennis and squash and is usually played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by glass walls. The ball is allowed to bounce off any wall but can only hit the turf once before being returned. Points can be scored when the ball bounces twice in the competitor’s field. Unlike tennis, the service is made underarm.

Due to the large amount of courts available across Dubai, makes it a very accessible sport to all… which as physios we love!

Fun Facts:

The racquets don’t have a string.

The service is underarm.

It’s more popular than tennis in Spain.

Numerous health benefits of this social sport include:

1. Cardiovascular Health

2. Enhances Coordination and Reflexes

3. Strengthens muscles in the leg’s arms and core

4. Improves agility and balance

5. Mental Health Benefits- sharpens concentration and strategic thinking.

If you want to check out what all the fuss is about then go and check out the Dubai Premier Padel P1 Competition between 3-10th November at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Physio Tips to get ready for the latest Gulf obsession.

HYROX is coming to the UAE for the third time, Saturday 12 April, in Sharjah, and will no doubt be another success, in a long line of successes since it’s launch in 2017.

The worldwide phenomenon that labels itself the, Global fitness race for everybody, has certainly offered the newest craze in fitness after CrossFit and OCR. Having competed in it myself in Dubai last year, I can say, for sure, it is one of the best experiences I’ve had in fitness, from the organisation, to the race, to the ‘vibe of the thing, Your Honour.’

It’s certainly not easy, nor for the faint hearted, but if you’re in for a damn good day, sign up and get involved.

The race involves 8, 1km runs, interrupted by 8 events – ski erg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls. You will be blowing by the end but there are plenty of variations to cater to everyone. You can compete as an individual, a team of 2 or 4, all women, all men or mixed. I was in a team and getting some breathing space allowed me to soak in the whole production.

From a physio perspective, you need to prepare. In all versions of the race aerobic capacity is required! And then varying degrees of strength and muscular endurance (using the strength under fatigue conditions), and efficiency of movement, allowing you to conserve energy during the race.

My tips?

1. Train. If you’ve got the time, 3-4 months prep would be good to build up progressively and reduce your risks of injury and burnout.

a. Build a base of fitness and strength

b. Practice the specific moves, gradually building the weight to competition requirements

c. Practice under fatigue in interval bursts

d. Put together your intervals to build up to full race simulations

2. Track your training to build confidence in your progress toward the big day

3. Rest – make sure you’re recovering well. We’re not interested in the popular ‘methods of recovery’. We’re only interested in the tried and tested methods – hydrate, rest, sleep, nutrition, movement.

4. Invite your friends to watch. The encouragement around the run track is really special and the atmosphere is truly electric as the professionals race around together with the amateur teams. There really isn’t much like this!

www.hyrox.com

Wearing a mask over the past few months has soon become the new norm. It must be worn at all times when outside of the home, but the rules can be a bit confusing when it comes to wearing the mask during exercise.

At The Physio Centre, we would encourage all of our clients to wear the mask while they are doing light to moderate exercise indoors or outdoors without social distancing. It has been reported that once we start breathing the distances that the virus can spread have been seen over 20 feet. So, it’s important that we all do our bit and stick to the rules as much as we can.

But does wearing a mask hinder your performance during your workout?

Scientifically, wearing a mask does not limit the amount of oxygen we breathe in, however it does restrict our airflow. Therefore, it can feel quite strange during a high-intensity workout if you feel like you aren’t breathing in enough air.

Our advice is simple.

1. Get moving outdoors and socially distance so that you can remove your mask safely without endangering your health and the health of others.

2. Always keep your mask closely to hand in case you come into closer contact with others.

3. Make sure that you sanitise your hands and clean down any equipment with disinfectant after you’ve used it.

4. As soon as you reach the house use your common sense i.e., wash your hands, take a shower, and put your clothes in the wash. Remove all items of clothing and wash them immediately.

5. Keep moving, exercise is a major part of staying healthy and should not be stopped or reduced. If you would like more advice on how to stay safe during exercise, please contact us today.

The Shoulder! An enormously complex joint with an enormous range of movements! The shoulder is one of the most common sites of musculoskeletal pain that is reported to healthcare professionals.

The shoulder can be susceptible to posture and work ergonomics, which makes overuse injuries common. We also see lots of sports and gym-related injuries to the shoulder due to the large range of movement available. Acute shoulder pain can settle quickly with treatment and activity management.

However, long term pain can be difficult to treat due to things like long-standing weakness, stiffness and soft tissue changes. This doesn’t mean that things can’t improve though with shoulder pain relief exercises! With good rehabilitation, good compliance and consistency, we often see patients improve their upper limb function and a reduction in their pain.

WHAT IS THE FASTEST WAY TO RELIEVE SHOULDER PAIN?

1. Think about your posture!

Let’s not blame it all on posture but sustained positions at the computer, your desk, on your mobile probably aren’t doing you any favours whether you have shoulder pain or not!

2. Stay active and maintain mobility in the shoulder

This doesn’t mean you need to take up bench pressing or gymnastics. Simply maintain your normal day to day activity. Try to avoid neglecting the use of the shoulder and holding it across your body. When it comes to mobility, it is use-it-or-lose-it!

3. Support your arms at work

Using simple things like a keyboard or mouse pad to provide some support to your arms can help offload your shoulder a little

4. Avoid aggravating factors

‘It hurts when I poke it’ DON’T POKE IT. You wouldn’t believe the number of times we hear this. Simple modifications in your day to day activity can help settle the painful shoulder down. For example, if it’s painful to put your arm into a jacket, try putting that arm in first to avoid reaching back as far.

5. Avoid exercises that cause pain

The ‘no pain, no gain’ attitude is not helpful in this situation. If you’re in the gym and military presses are hurting your shoulder, stop! This doesn’t mean forever, but maybe the shoulder needs a break or the demands on the shoulder at present are too much.

EXERCISES FOR SHOULDER PAIN

As we have already said, the shoulder has a huge range of movements; therefore there are endless possibilities of exercises for movement, strength, proprioception and sport-specific tasks.

Below are a few exercises for pain relief & mobility to start self-management of your shoulder pain.

1. Pendulum exercises – a very simple set of exercises that can be used when there is a lot of pain or when the shoulder is very stiff. Using a desk/back of a chair/bed, support your body weight with your uninjured arm and lean forward to allow the injured arm to hang. Gently swing the arm forwards, backwards, left, right and in circles.

2. Hand behind the backstretch/towel behind the back – a simple exercise that can be used to stretch the shoulder. Start with holding it for 10-20 secs and gradually build up the time. 

3. Shoulder openers in a doorway – a great stretch to open up the chest. this can be particularly useful for people to slouch/round their shoulders due to long hours in front of a computer, or gym goers who maybe bias their chest a bit too much! 

4. External rotation stretch – another simple stretch using readily available household items such as a broom or mop. Holding a mop/broom in both hands, use your uninjured side to push the mop, which will allow the shoulder to rotate outward.​