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Pendulum Exercise (Codman's)

Draftmobility70%beginner⬤ limited evidence
View FHIR resourceFHIR R4 ActivityDefinition — the interoperable form of this exercise

Positions & Range of Motion

Start
standing, trunk leaned forward at the hips ~45–90°, supporting the uninvolved hand on a table, affected arm hanging relaxed and vertical
End
affected arm continuing passive small circular/pendular sway driven by trunk motion, shoulder muscles relaxed throughout
Range of Motion
passive glenohumeral excursion tracing a small (~15–30 cm / coffee-cup-sized) circle; motion generated by body sway, not active shoulder ROM

How to Perform

Leaning forward with the affected arm hanging, creating small circular or pendulum motions using body sway rather than active shoulder muscle contraction. Used in early-stage frozen shoulder (freezing phase) when active motion is too painful. Proposed mechanisms include joint distraction, synovial fluid circulation, and pain gate modulation.

Watch on YouTube↗

Opens a YouTube search for “Pendulum Exercise (Codman's)”

Starting position: standing

Coaching Cues

  1. 1

    Heavy, relaxed arm — shoulder muscles do nothing

    (verbal)
  2. 2

    Sway the trunk like a slow metronome

    (verbal)
  3. 3

    Let the hand trace a coffee-cup-sized circle on the floor

    (verbal)
  4. 4

    The arm is a rope hanging from your shoulder

    (visual)

Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data

Recommended Dosing

5-10 minutes, 2-3x daily; small circles in both directions, forward/back, and side-to-side. With or without 1-2 lb weight [expert consensus]

Muscles Involved (2)

Stabilizers

Supraspinatus— Should be minimally active — passive motion exercise
Anterior Deltoid— Minimal activation — motion from body sway, not shoulder muscles

Easier Variations ↓

1

Gravity-Assisted Pendulum

Lean over further to increase the distraction effect. No weight in hand.

2

Supine Passive ROM

Lie on back, use the other hand to gently move the affected arm. Fully passive.

Harder Variations ↑

1

Weighted Pendulum

Add a 1-2 lb weight to increase distraction and momentum. Gradually increase arc of motion.

2

Active-Assisted Wall Walks

Progress to wall finger-walking when active motion becomes tolerable.

3

Progress to wall-walks-shoulder

AUDIT: Advance from passive pendulum to active-assisted wall finger-climbing once active motion is tolerable (listed as pendulum progression).

Target Movements (3)

Shoulder FlexionGlenohumeral Joint
Shoulder AbductionGlenohumeral Joint
Shoulder AdductionGlenohumeral Joint

Why This Exercise Matters

Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:

Dressing — Upper BodyBathing and Personal Hygiene

Goals This Helps With

Rehab, performance, prevention, and mobility goals this exercise supports — essential means it's a cornerstone:

Improve Shoulder MobilitymobilityRotator Cuff Tendinopathyrehab⚠

Research Notes

Limited high-quality RCT evidence. Commonly prescribed based on clinical experience and biomechanical reasoning. Use in freezing phase of adhesive capsulitis.

Evidence Sources (2)