Rehabilitation of the Unstable Shoulder

Abstract

In 1985, in collaboration with Gilles Walch, I opened a rehabilitation unit entirely devoted to immediate postoperative management of the shoulder. Later on, this unit became a department of 40 inpatient beds which I ran up to 1997. During that period, I treated a total of 3682 patients. I then saw shoulder rehabilitation in a different light, with priority being given to the restoration of range of motion and particularly elevation of the arm necessarily passing by the zero position of the shoulder. Two methods proved particularly efficient: swimming for immediate postoperative rehabilitation and self-directed overhead stretching of the arms with clasped hands.