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ROTATOR CUFF STRENGTHENINGROTATOR CUFF - What is it?Rotator cuff strengthening must form a part of the treatment of every shoulder injury, otherwise the shoulder will remain weak and prone to further pain syndromes. The rotator cuff is the name given to a group of four muscles that act to stabilize the shoulder. Shoulder pain and the so-called frozen shoulder often involve these key shoulder muscles. They are the
These shoulder muscles allow you to raise your arm, turn it and move the arm into many different positions, each carefully controlled and cordinated, as in throwing a ball accurately, for example. Unlike the hip joint though, the shoulder socket is very shallow to allow for greater range of motion of the shoulder. This makes the shoulder more vulnerable to injury, leading to shoulder pain, strains, tears and sometimes frozen shoulder. Because it is non-weightbearing (as in the hip and knee) it is much less prone to arthritis. An exception here is the AC joint (Acromio-Clavicular). This joint that connects the collarbone to the shoulder blade is often injured in falls, and should it not be correctly managed becomes prone to
Immobilisation arthritis.
The shoulder muscles are energised by nerves emerging from the lower neck.
An old neck injury
often lies at the root of shoulder pain. Have you perhaps been involved in a car accident or an old sporting injury? The so-called
Rotator Cuff Syndrome
is a complex condition involving four shoulder joints, together with their capsules and ligaments, the shoulder muscles and their tendons, their nerve supply and the Acromio-Clavicular Joint.
StrengtheningThe simplistic and safest rotator cuff strengthening exercises are the isometric exercises. A very good place to start, as Julie Andrews would say! Sound of Music ... (Sorry, a bit crazy this morning!) When you read you begin with A-B-C, when you sing ... when you strengthen your shoulder you begin with STRETCH -ISOMETRICS-DYNAMICS) These isometric exercises mean that the shoulder doesn't move! Here are six little exercises to start with. Whilst sitting in a chair, place your elbow against your side with the elbow at 90 degrees, and your hand straight in front of you. Using your other hand,
Do about 5-10 reps of each, every time you take a tea break. Start slowly, particularly if these movements are painful. There's no rush. Isometrics are more effective that dynamic exercises when it comes to rotator cuff strengthening, but you must do it in different positions. When these six are painless, then do them with the shoulder flexed at 45 degrees, and then 90 degrees ... Strengthening exercises with movement.Once you can do the isometric ROTATOR CUFF STRENGTHENING exercises without pain, then progress to exercise with movement. The simplist is a simple affair with a small pulley, a cord with a handle at each end. Fix the pulley to the ceiling, and pull away, changing the position.
WEIGHT TRAININGOnce you can do that without pain, then it's time to move your ROTATOR CUFF STRENGTHENING on to light weights. Holding any tincan of around 400 g (1 lb) in your hand, start moving the arm in these same directions. Always start with stretching and do it at least twice a day.A used bicycle tube is excellent for Rotator Cuff strengthening. Hook it over some fixed point, and start doing gentle exercises against the resistance of the tube. Inwards, outwards, forwards ... you can use your imagination, but follow a routine, gradually expanding it as you feel the shoulder getting stronger. Having read this page, should you want to read more about the anatomy of the shoulder, (did I hear you exclaim, "four! shoulder joints?") and see some diagrams, then please click here: From ROTATOR CUFF STRENGTHENING to SHOULDER ANATOMY
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