Shoulder abduction with the elbow bent moves the arm out to the side (abduction) while you lie on your back. The elbow stays at a right angle and the upper arm moves along the mat until the elbow is level with your shoulder, then comes back. Because the mat carries the weight of the arm, it is a gentle way to work on moving the arm sideways when a shoulder is stiff or sore.

How to do the shoulder abduction with the elbow bent

Lie face up on a mat, both legs straight and both arms down by your sides.
Bend the elbow of the working arm to a right angle, so the forearm points up at the ceiling while the upper arm stays resting beside you.
Keeping the elbow bent, move the upper arm out to the side along the mat until the elbow is level with your shoulder.
The voice guide stops there. In the video, the forearm then tips back toward the top of the mat until the hand is close to the floor beyond your head, which also turns the shoulder outward. Take that part only as far as is comfortable, and leave it out if your physio has not added it.
Reverse the movement slowly to bring the arm back to your side, then repeat.

What you should feel

Light work at the top and side of the shoulder as the arm moves out, and a stretch at the front of the shoulder and chest if you let the forearm tip back.

Common mistakes

Hitching the shoulder up toward your ear as the elbow moves out.
Letting the elbow straighten, or letting the forearm drop to the floor.
Arching your back or twisting your body to get the elbow higher.
Rushing, so the arm falls back to your side.

How often

Many programs use 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 slow movements, once or twice a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

A sharp pain or catch in the shoulder as the elbow comes level with it.
The shoulder feels unstable, as if it could slip out, when the forearm tips back.
Pain, pins and needles or numbness spreading down your arm or into your hand.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
A sudden pop or tearing feeling in the shoulder that brings sharp pain, new weakness or trouble lifting the arm. Stop and contact your surgical team the same day, or get medical advice the same day if you have not had surgery.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.

From the clinic

Because the arm moves along the mat, gravity does not pull against it, which makes this one of the easier ways to practice taking the arm out to the side. Shoulder abduction with a stick lets your other arm help if this is still too hard. Side-lying shoulder abduction is a later step, where the arm lifts against gravity. If you are pregnant and past the first three months, check with your physio before exercising flat on your back.

The end position in the video, with the arm out to the side and turned outward, is the one in which a shoulder that has dislocated at the front is most at risk of coming out again. If your shoulder has ever dislocated or feels unstable, ask your physio before you add the tip back.

After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed. Turning the arm outward is often limited for a while after a shoulder replacement or a repair at the front of the shoulder, so check that part is on your plan. Lying 90 90 shoulder rotation works on that outward turn on its own.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Shoulder abduction with the elbow bent