Rotator Cuff Exercises * Rotator Cuff Workout and Video

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the website makefitness.pro | more details >> I am a swimming coach at a youth sports school and a gym instructor.

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The rotator cuff or rotator cuff is the general name for the four muscles and their tendons that are responsible for rotating the shoulder (the distance from the shoulder joint to the elbow). It is because of the weakness of these muscles that athletes often suffer injuries to both the muscles and tendons themselves, and the shoulder joints.

These muscles include: infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis (in short, the muscles of the shoulder blades - front and back). The infraspinatus bears the greatest load when rotating the shoulder! And most often it is she who suffers. All other muscles only help it during rotation (depending on the planes in which to rotate the shoulder). By the way, in certain cases, even different bundles of deltoid muscles help.

You can learn how and in what cases the rotator cuff muscles work from the video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Byx1x2MBv53/?igshid=aihj6bwx5ycc

Causes and consequences of rotator cuff injury

The rotator cuff is a tendon formation that wraps around the head of the shoulder joint. As an extension of the rotator cuff muscles, the cuff is used to rotate the arm inward and outward, and also allows you to lift it behind your head.

To understand the mechanism of a rotator cuff injury, it is necessary to refer to the diagram of the structure of the shoulder.

The cuff is located between the head of the shoulder joint and the acromion, the part of the shoulder blade that protrudes above the shoulder. When raising the arms and rotating movements, these two parts of the body inevitably collide with each other. The bursa located between them is designed to protect them from damage - a sac-like formation with synovial fluid, due to which friction is smoothed out.

If lubrication becomes insufficient, or under the influence of unfavorable factors the distance between the joint and the scapula is reduced (impingement syndrome), contact of the acromion with the rotator cuff leads to fiber disintegration, as well as to pain, swelling and limited mobility.

Causes of rotator cuff injuries can include:

Age factor. Damage to the cuff is more common at the age of 40 years, which is explained by deterioration of the blood supply to the joint and weakening of the ligaments.
Manual labor. At risk are lovers of country holidays, as well as representatives of certain professions (builders, loaders, etc.).
Sport. The cuff is chronically injured in athletes who regularly perform rotational movements. These are tennis, swimming, basketball, bodybuilding, etc.
Anatomical features of the structure of the shoulder, suggesting that the distance between the joint and the acromion is too narrow.

The main symptom of a rotator cuff injury is pain in the shoulder when trying to raise the arm above horizontal or behind the head. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, anti-inflammatory therapy and physical therapy exercises are prescribed. In severe cases, for example, with a complete rupture of the cuff, surgical intervention is required.

Causes of rotator cuff (shoulder) tear/damage

The main cause of rotator cuff injury is trauma. It usually occurs in older people, but it can also occur in younger people.

Damage can be caused by:

constant injury to tendons (during physical labor, for example);
heavy load on the tendons and increased stress on them;
genetic predisposition;
individual anatomical features: insufficient space between the head of the humerus and the tip of the scapula.

How can rotator cuff training benefit you?

Shoulder training begins immediately after a period of immobilization (immobilization), during which the patient should wear a fixing bandage. After surgery, the joint is provided with rest for 3-5 weeks; with drug treatment, 1-2 weeks are sufficient. During the rehabilitation period, exercises perform 2 important functions:

Restore range of motion in the shoulder joint after fusion of the rotator cuff.
Strengthens muscles that atrophy during immobilization.

The set of exercises should be selected by the doctor taking into account the characteristics of the injury. To prevent shoulder joint diseases, you can perform the following exercises.

Pain treatment

After surgery, you will definitely feel pain.
This is a natural part of the healing process. Your doctor and nurses will do everything necessary to relieve you of pain and speed up your recovery process. A number of medications are usually prescribed for pain relief in the postoperative period. These drugs include opioid analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and local anesthetics. To improve the effect and minimize the dose of opioid analgesics, the drugs are usually prescribed in combination with each other.

It is necessary to understand that although opioid analgesics can effectively relieve postoperative pain, they are narcotic drugs and can cause addiction. Drug addiction and drug overdose are important social problems in modern society, therefore such drugs should be taken strictly in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician.

As soon as the intensity of pain begins to decrease, you should stop using drugs. If pain does not go away within a few weeks after surgery, you should talk to your doctor.

Rehabilitation is an essential component of post-operative treatment to help you return to normal life as quickly as possible. Physical therapy will help you restore muscle strength and range of motion in your shoulder joint as quickly as possible.

Immobilization

Postoperative rehabilitation includes several stages. Immediately after surgery, the tendons need to be kept functionally at rest while they heal. For the first 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, you will likely have your arm suspended in a brace. The timing of such immobilization depends on the nature and severity of your injury.

Development of movements in the shoulder joint

Passive mobilization . Even if the tendons are successfully repaired during surgery, the muscles in the shoulder area will remain weak for some time. When the doctor decides that it is possible to begin restoring mobility of the joint, the physical therapist will begin to work with you on passive mobilization of the shoulder joint. Passive mobilization involves the physical therapist taking your arm and moving it in different directions. In most cases, passive exercises begin within the first 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.

Active exercises . Four to six weeks after surgery, you will begin doing exercises on your own, without the help of a physical therapist. Carrying out movements using your own muscles will gradually restore their strength and ability to control the movements of the limb. 8-12 weeks after surgery, weight-bearing exercises are added to strengthen the muscles.

Active exercises may include, for example, isometric external rotation of the shoulder, where the back of the cyst rests against the wall, the muscles contract, and there is no movement in the shoulder joint. With this movement, you seem to be trying to move the wall away from you.

Full recovery usually occurs within a few months. An acceptable range of motion in the shoulder joint and sufficient muscle strength are restored in most patients 4-6 months after surgery.

Rehabilitation is a slow process, the key to success is your desire and commitment to the activities carried out.

Exercises for the rotator cuff

You can start exercising after removing the fixing bandage and complete healing of the shoulder, as evidenced by the absence of swelling and pain when moving the arm. To increase the effectiveness of the exercises, you will need light dumbbells (0.5 or 1 kg) or an expander.

Exercises that involve movement of the rotator cuff include:

Exercise No. 1 . It is performed lying on your side, the sore arm on top, pressed to the body and bent at an angle of 90 degrees. From this position, we lift the dumbbell up from the floor without lifting the elbow from the body. At the top point we linger for a couple of seconds, after which we return the projectile back.

Exercise No. 2 . Like the previous one, it is performed lying on your side, only this time the sore arm located on the floor is bent at an angle of 90 degrees. We lift the dumbbell with it until it touches the chest, and after a short delay we return the weight back. The elbow does not leave the body.

Exercise No. 3 . For this you will need a high bench on which you need to lie on your stomach. We lower the straight arm with the dumbbell vertically down. Raise your arm to a horizontal position with your shoulder, while maintaining a slight bend in the elbow. We linger at the top for a few seconds, then lower our hand to the starting position.

Exercise No. 4 . We attach the expander to something stable at shoulder level with one end, and hold the other in the sore hand. We take a step back and kneel on one knee (on the sore side), while the injured arm is extended behind the expander. We pull it towards us, bending it at the elbow, and then return it back. We make sure that only the hand makes the movement, and not the whole body.

Shoulder rotation exercises should begin with 10 repetitions three times a day. Over time, their number should be increased to 20.

During the recovery period, therapeutic exercises are performed for 2-3 months after completion of immobilization. In the future, for preventive purposes, exercises can be performed before each workout with a high load on the shoulder joint.

Treatment of rotator cuff (shoulder) tear/damage in the clinic

Injuries (including tears) to the rotator cuff can be treated with conservative and surgical methods. The choice of a specific technique depends on the duration of the injury, the patient’s age and other characteristics, as well as the degree of damage.

Conservative therapy

If the damage is partial, conservative management of the patient is usually used. In a number of clinical cases it gives pronounced positive results. Immobilization of the joint allows the function of the patient's arm to be restored. It is provided using special orthopedic structures. Additionally, the patient may be prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures. The sessions are aimed at stimulating metabolic processes and providing opportunities to enhance the natural recovery of tendons. General therapy is also provided. It involves prescribing painkillers, drugs to relieve inflammation, etc. to the patient. Conservative therapy is quite long-term. With serious damage to the rotator cuff, it can reach 2-3 months.

Surgery

It is prescribed when conservative therapy is inappropriate or there is no desired effect from it for a long time.

Currently, surgeons often opt for arthroscopy. This operation is performed without large incisions and damage to healthy tissue. This allows not only to shorten the rehabilitation period, but also to reduce the likelihood of side effects and the risk of complications. As part of this intervention, soft tissues are punctured and special optics and instruments are inserted into them. The operation begins with the removal of scar tissue and bone growths from the shoulder joint area. Then, under camera control and with multiple magnification, the tendons are sutured. If the tendon is torn from the bone, the structure is reconstructed. For this purpose, special anchor clamps are used.

If necessary, other surgical interventions are performed.

Important! The tactics and technique of the operation are chosen exclusively by the doctor. At the same time, he focuses on the individual characteristics of the patient and the type of injury. This ensures not only the high effectiveness of the intervention, but also its safety for a particular person.

Is it possible to train in the gym at a normal pace if you have an injury?

A cuff injury develops gradually, so an athlete can ignore the pain for a long time without consulting a doctor. This continues until the tendons are completely worn out, and severe constant pain will force you to stop training for a long time. If you contact a specialist at the initial stage of discomfort when abducting and raising your arms, you can improve the situation with the help of medications and therapeutic exercises. In this case, there will be no need to cancel classes in the gym; you will only need to adjust the training program.

Basic principles of training for rotator cuff injury:

Avoid training with heavy weights on the damaged area. To avoid aggravating the problem, but at the same time maintain shoulder size, reduce the working weight and increase the number of repetitions.
Refusal of dangerous exercises. If you have a rotator cuff injury, you should avoid exercises with your arms raised above your head, such as overhead barbell presses.
Improvisation. Discomfort in the shoulders can also occur when you train other muscle groups. In this case, it is worth modifying the exercises. Thus, with a classic bench press, due to the fixation of the hands, overstrain occurs in the shoulder ligaments. Therefore, it is better to replace this exercise with a dumbbell bench press, in which you can choose a position of the hands that is comfortable for the shoulder.
Reduced range of motion. With a cuff injury, shoulder pain occurs with maximum abduction of the arm. Therefore, exercises should be performed in such a way as not to reach a dangerous point, that is, perform them with a short range of motion. With this approach, you can get rid of discomfort even in dumbbell flyes that are dangerous for the cuff.

When doing exercises on the muscles of the shoulder girdle, try to concentrate your attention on them as much as possible and perform all movements smoothly, without jerking. This approach will allow you to stop in time if severe pain occurs.

Prevention of rotator cuff (shoulder) tear/damage and medical recommendations

To avoid rotator cuff injuries (including tears), you should:

Eliminate the risk of injury (if possible). Try to carefully perform all sudden movements, refuse professional sports if the ligamentous apparatus is weak, and adhere to other restrictions (if they are recommended by the doctor).
Develop muscles. It is the muscles that help to “hold” various structures of the limb and prevent their injury. To develop muscles, you need to exercise regularly. It is better to do this under the supervision of an experienced specialist - a physical therapy instructor.
Adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. The diet should include a sufficient amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein foods.
Take vitamin complexes. They allow you to saturate the body with valuable substances.
Control your weight. Excess body weight negatively affects the health of joints and creates additional stress on them.
Regularly see a doctor if you have any problems in the functioning of the joints and ligaments.

If you want to learn everything about preventing rotator cuff injury or are experiencing a rotator cuff injury, call us or leave a request on the website. Our specialist will answer all your questions and suggest the optimal time to visit a traumatologist.

When should you see a doctor?

You should contact a specialist if you have the first signs of a rotator cuff injury. These include:

pain that occurs both during movement and at rest (intensifies at night);
edema;
weakness in the joint;
limitation of hand mobility.

If you raise the alarm in a timely manner, the problem can be solved by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, etc.) and exercises on the rotator cuff. Ignoring pain can lead to worsening of the injury, including complete rupture of the muscles and tendons. In this case, treatment of the rotator cuff will be carried out through surgery.

Diagnosis of rotator cuff (shoulder) tear/damage in the clinic

First, the doctor at the Mother and Child Clinic conducts a survey of the patient. It allows you to determine the circumstances of the injury: the time of pain onset, the nature of the injury (if any), the degree of intensity of the symptoms. This is followed by a thorough inspection. The doctor must conduct a series of tests aimed at determining the severity and level of pain, the level of weakness of motor functions, and the condition of the adjacent muscles. The easiest way to diagnose a complete rupture. This is because it is associated with pronounced symptoms.

Sports supplements – will they help you recover faster?

Nutrition plays a huge role in the recovery process from injury. During this period, it is necessary to refrain from foods that increase inflammation - fried and spicy foods, flour, confectionery. At the same time, an increased supply of beneficial nutrients is necessary, since the composition of the blood directly affects the speed of recovery processes. It would be advisable to enrich your diet with vitamins and sports supplements:

vitamin C, which helps relieve inflammation;
magnesium, which strengthens damaged tendons;
zinc, which accelerates tissue regeneration;
calcium, which restores cartilage and bones;
omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, which prevent the destruction of muscle tissue;
BCAAs that repair damaged muscles;
chondroprotectors (Glucosamine, Chondroitin), strengthening cartilage, ligaments and tendons, as well as improving joint mobility by increasing the production and improving the quality of synovial fluid.

In addition to supplements, we must not forget about the completeness of the basic diet. It should consist of low-fat sources of protein (poultry, seafood) for accelerated tissue repair, complex carbohydrates (cereals, whole grains) to supply energy to the body, healthy fats (unrefined vegetable oils, sea fish, nuts) to improve metabolic processes and a large amount Vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and fiber.

For those who are just deciding whether they need sports nutrition, we recorded a video below:

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Summary

Successful restoration of shoulder function after a rotator cuff injury is possible only with an integrated approach. In addition to drug treatment, a thorough review of training programs and usual diet is necessary. The sooner you begin to act, the greater the chance of restoring the capabilities of the shoulder joint to its original level.

Discussion: 3 comments

X_todd_X says:
The best prevention and training for the rotator cuff is a good warm-up. Do not wave your arms to the sides, but knead each joint and muscle separately. Warm up for 5-10 minutes and you won’t get injured.
Kvass says:
Gee) When I read the text, my shoulder began to ache, I remembered an old injury. Two packs of Animal Flex didn’t help much, so chondroprotectors and vitamins are just pampering. If you have pain and swelling, there is no way to go to the hospital. But what really works and relieves pain is a squeeze into the deltoids or the top of the biceps. But for most this is not an option)))
Kirix69 says:
So, do I need to further strengthen this cuff? Does it just not improve with training? I don `t understand. I have never had problems with my shoulders, but I try to take moderate weight and not tear too much.

Examination methods

MRI (magnetic resonance therapy). This examination technique is the most informative to date. This is due to the fact that it allows you to obtain a complete clinical picture of the condition of the soft tissues. Thanks to MRI, the doctor can visualize not only the tendons, but also the ligaments and muscles of the shoulder joint.
Radiography. This examination does not allow visualization of soft tissue. It is prescribed to confirm or refute the fact of a limb fracture.

If necessary, other examinations may be prescribed. Thanks to them, the doctor receives a complete picture and can decide on further therapy.