• Pulley exercises are a good way to increase should strength and flexibility.humility image by Jake Hellbach from Fotolia.com
  
  A door hanger pulley system is an excellent tool for doing passive range of motion exercises. This type of exercise can help improve strength and flexibility following a shoulder injury or surgery or if you simply have tight shoulders. The following exercises can be performed either standing or sitting. If you're recovering from an injury, check with your doctor or physical therapist before trying these exercises and to see how many repetitions you should perform. Otherwise, aim for 10 reps on each side.
  
  

Standing Shoulder Extension

• Stand facing away from the door. With one handle in each hand, hold your left arm in front with your elbow at shoulder level and bent upward at a right angle. Keep your right arm straight as you stretch it behind you, beginning with your hand at hip-level. Keeping both elbows in this position, gently pull straight down with your left arm, extending and stretching the right arm behind your back. Do ten repetitions, then switch arm positions and repeat.
  
  

Standing Shoulder Abduction

• Stand at 90 degree angle to the door, with your left shoulder nearest to the door. Grip one handle in your left hand near your hip, and the other in your right hand with your right arm held in front of the chest. Slowly extend and straighten the right arm in a downward motion, keeping the left arm straight as it is pulled up to the side. Do ten repetitions before reversing positions to repeat on the other side.
  
  

Standing Shoulder Internal Rotation

• Stand facing the door. Grip one handle in your right hand, behind the back, resting it at the base of the spine. Grip the other handle in front with your left hand, with your left elbow bent. Slowly pull down with the left hand. As the right arm is pulled upward, keep the right hand moving directly along the spine. Do ten repetitions, then switch arms and repeat.
  
  

Standing Shoulder Flexion

• Grasp pulley handles in each hand with the right arm extended down at side and the left arm extended straight out in front. Gently lower your left arm, pulling your right arm up as you go, until arm positions are switched. Repeat, lowering your right arm and raising the left, for one full rep. Repeat ten times.