Shoulder in : Lift-off and belly-press tests

Because the shoulder relies so much on muscular control, rehabilitation plays a central role in recovery for most conditions, whether managed conservatively or after surgery. This page covers the joint's anatomy, common conditions, assessment methods, and general exercise and recovery patterns.

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles — supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis — whose tendons wrap around the shoulder joint and help keep the arm bone centered in its socket while allowing rotation. Does a rotator cuff tear always need surgery? Many partial and even some full-thickness tears, especially in less active or older individuals, are managed successfully with structured exercise; surgery is more often considered for larger tears, significant weakness, or failed conservative care.

Shoulder impingement describes irritation of rotator cuff tendons or the bursa as they pass through a narrow space beneath the tip of the shoulder blade, often provoked by repeated overhead activity. Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition involving progressive stiffening of the joint capsule, typically moving through painful, stiff, and recovery phases over many months.