Book excerpt: Purpose statement:The purpose of this book is to educate the general rehabilitation provider about many common and challenging conditions and surgical procedures of the shoulder and to provide a detailed understanding about the current best practice of shoulder rehabilitation for operatively and nonoperatively treated conditions. Emphasis is placed on a criteria-based advancement and the "why" behind our clinical decision making. The reader will learn an easy-to-understand systematic progression of therapeutic exercise that can be applied successfully to treat patients with a broad spectrum of shoulder disorders. Detailed rehabilitation guidelines with specific exercise choices are also included to help augment your clinical decision making. Special situations are addressed for patients from youth athletes to the elderly.Objectives:Explain a systematic philosophical approach to shoulder rehabilitation that can be easily applied to treat patients with a wide variety of shoulder diagnoses in a well-tolerated way.Detail an easy-to-understand systematic progression of therapeutic exercise that is based on electromyographic and biomechanical evidence and can be applied successfully to treat patients with a broad spectrum of shoulder disorders.Present common surgical procedures of the shoulder and describe the structures that must be protected and how to protect them during postoperative rehabilitation.Improve the reader's understanding of shoulder girdle anatomy and evaluation and of nonoperative and operative management of common shoulder conditions.Enable the reader to apply detailed rehabilitation protocols for many nonoperative and postoperative shoulder girdle disorders and learn the rehabilitation principles behind them.Learn principles and practical examples of return-to-sport progressions.Summarize the appropriate use of modalities and assessments, such as electromyography and impairment ratings, in shoulder girdle rehabilitation.Highlight special considerations and unusual circumstances that the rehabilitation provider should bear in mind when planning treatment.