A rotator cuff injury can be a major set back for athletes who encounter it.
Whatever sport you may play or activity you participate in, we demand a lot from our shoulder. However, unlike the joints lower down in the body, soft tissue is the main form of support.
There are four muscles that make up the rotator cuff - supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor & subscapularis. Given the size of these 4 muscle the work load which is demanded of them is high. They can be torn due to direct trauma or overuse.
To maintain optimal rotator cuff health there are 2 things which can be done. Range of motion exercises & strengthening.
1) Maintain full Shoulder Range of Motion
Reaching your hand behind your back & slide your hand up your spine & touching the bottom of your shoulder blade
Reaching behind your head and move your hand down your spine between your shoulder blades
Note differences between the 2 shoulders
If there is a difference, stretching can help increase flexibility. A towel stretch can help with this
Place a towel behind your back, one hand holding from the top & the other holding the bottom. Try and walk your fingers together up & down the towel.
Hold for 15 secs then repeat 3 times
2) Strengthening the Rotator Cuff Muscles
Exercises such as internal rotation on a cable machine. Your working hand should be closest to the machine. Rotating your hand from the outside of your body to the inside, bringing your hand towards your stomach.
External rotation on a cable machine.
Move so the arm working in further away from the machine. Keep your arm at 90deg and rotate your hand outwards from your stomach
With carrying out range of motion exercises & also strengthening to the Rotator Cuff muscles the likelihood of a Rotator Cuff injury will decrease.
Whatever sport you may play or activity you participate in, we demand a lot from our shoulder. However, unlike the joints lower down in the body, soft tissue is the main form of support.
There are four muscles that make up the rotator cuff - supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor & subscapularis. Given the size of these 4 muscle the work load which is demanded of them is high. They can be torn due to direct trauma or overuse.
To maintain optimal rotator cuff health there are 2 things which can be done. Range of motion exercises & strengthening.
1) Maintain full Shoulder Range of Motion
Reaching your hand behind your back & slide your hand up your spine & touching the bottom of your shoulder blade
Reaching behind your head and move your hand down your spine between your shoulder blades
Note differences between the 2 shoulders
If there is a difference, stretching can help increase flexibility. A towel stretch can help with this
Place a towel behind your back, one hand holding from the top & the other holding the bottom. Try and walk your fingers together up & down the towel.
Hold for 15 secs then repeat 3 times
2) Strengthening the Rotator Cuff Muscles
Exercises such as internal rotation on a cable machine. Your working hand should be closest to the machine. Rotating your hand from the outside of your body to the inside, bringing your hand towards your stomach.
External rotation on a cable machine.
Move so the arm working in further away from the machine. Keep your arm at 90deg and rotate your hand outwards from your stomach
With carrying out range of motion exercises & also strengthening to the Rotator Cuff muscles the likelihood of a Rotator Cuff injury will decrease.
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