Rotator Cuff Injuries – Know What Your Body Is Telling You

Rotator Cuff Injuries – Know What Your Body Is Telling You

Writing this now I am just coming out of another rotator cuff battle. It started about 7 weeks ago and was the first one I’ve had in about 5 years. I was unable to lift weights for 5 weeks, I haven’t been on a tennis court since it started. My best guesstimate is it will be another two weeks before I get back on the court. It’s pretty common knowledge that as we get older there will be bumps in the road whether it’s our personal life or physical life, are inevitable.  Calve pulls, rotator cuff injuries, shoulders, knees, biceps, triceps – seems like something will always pop up along the way. I’m not saying working out will cause all of these, in fact the only one I’ve had has been my rotator cuff. I have no doubt that pushing your body to it’s limits is good for it, within reason.

See, my rotator cuff problem is my own fault.Hitting the heavy bag has always been one of my favorite things to do since I was about 15. Problem for me is that by the time I stopped kickboxing at 37, my rotator cuffs were shot, especially the right one. After taking about 2 months off, I got back into weight lifting and while they still hurt a little bit, it was nothing I couldn’t handle. Doesn’t everyone who exercises hard always have some sort of pain? I think so. Anyway, over the years I have always been able to push myself with weight training and tennis but each time I mix in heavy bag work it seems to put my shoulder over the edge. this time though, I actually had to go to my doctor to get steroids, muscle relaxers and pain killers, it was that bad. My shoulder had warned me I was pushing it too hard but I didn’t listen. That’s a mistake I won’t make again. When your body tells you something, listen. That’s not to say stop working out at the first twinge of pain. But when that pain becomes inherently worse, take a break before you end up like me. Here are some good rotator cuff exercises to rebuild strength or prevent from injury. Honestly, I had slacked on these too.

You can do these exercises at the gym or at home. If doing at home, use a tube for cable exercises.

Internal Rotation 

1. Stand upright holding a cable out to the side with your elbow at 90° and your upper arm against your side
2. Pull the cable across your mid-section keeping your elbow at 90° and your upper arm against your side

Complete all wraps on one side before switching to the other side

External Rotation

1. Lie on your side propped up on one arm holding a dumbbell in the other hand with your elbow bent at 90° and your fore arm across your midsection
2. Raise the dumbbell up and away from your body, rotating at the shoulder and keeping your elbow at 90° with your upper arm against your side

Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other

Row To External Rotation –

1. Lie facedown on an incline bench with dumbbells hanging at your sides, arms straight and your palms facing back

2. Lift the dumb bell up to wear your upper arms are parallel to the floor, elbows out to your sides Rotate at the shoulders, raising the dumbbells for word and up until your palms face the floor

Lower back to the start position

Cross body raise

1. Stand upright holding a handle at one side in the opposite hand with the arm across your body at waist height
2. Raise the handle diagonally up and across your body, keeping your arms straight

Finish with arm fully extended up over the shoulder

Complete all reps on one side before switching to Diether

Scaption

1. Stand upright holding the dumbbells at your thighs with your arms straight and palms facing back
2. Raise the dumbbells up and out in front to shoulder height at a 45 degree angle, keeping your arms straight

The movement is halfway between a front raise and a lateral raise

 

 

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