Rotator Cuff Strengthening Exercises
The rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and sinews in the shoulder that help stabilize the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. The rotator cuff works together with the deltoids and the arm muscles to move and rotate the arm at the shoulder. Strengthening the rotator cuffs is an important way to prevent shoulder injury, especially dislocation and chronic shoulder pain.
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Side Rotator Lift
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Perhaps the most basic way to work the rotator cuff is the lying rotator cuff lift. In this exercise, a person lays on his side on a bench or other elevated surface, and hangs the arm closer to the ceiling down, while supporting it the the palm of the opposite hand at the bicep. The arm across the chest and perpendicular to the floor, and is then rotated upward, so that it becomes parallel to the floor. The exercise is continued until the rotators cuff becomes too fatigued to continue. A small amount of weight can be added in the form of a dumbbell if necessary, though typically lifts that directly target the rotator cuff require little or no weight.
Standing Rotator Lift
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Using the same basic motion as the lying side lift, a person can work the rotator cuff while standing by providing resistance parallel to the ground using a workout machine with the proper resistance cables or using a resistance band fixed to an object around waist height. Grab the resistance band or handle with the arm resting across the belly, then rotate the arm out 90 degrees against the resistance so that it is pointing straight out. Repeat until the rotator cuff is fatigued.
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Front Dumbell Lift
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Certain exercises target multiple groups of muscles in the shoulder area rather than the rotator cuff specifically. These exercises are best used in conjunction with targeted rotator cuff injury to bolster shoulder stability. To do a forward shoulder dumbbell lift, you simply grab one dumbbell with either hand and alternate moving the dumbbells from resting at your sides to straight out in front of you as if your had just thrown a punch at full extension. Do ten to twenty reps or the lift or go until fatigued. This lift may require five to fifteen pounds of weight to efficiently fatigue the muscles.
Back Dumbell Lift
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This lit is essentially the exact opposite of the front dumbell lift. Two dumbbells are used, but instead of moving the arms forward, the arms are moved straight back. In order to achieve proper range of motion, you will need to use one weight at a time and bend over, supporting yourself with your free arm on a bench or table. The arm should move 90 degrees, from dangling straight down, to being held straight backward, parallel to the ground.
Side Shoulder Extensions
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Another lift commonly used to bolster the strength of the shoulders and rotator cuff is the side shoulder lift. It is very similar to the front and back lift, except this time, the arms are extended straight to either side. When doing this lift, the lifter should stand straight and lift with both arms simultaneously to balance the body. Depending the strength of the lifter's shoulder muscles, she may be able to use the same weight for several lifts, which makes going through a shoulder stabilizing regimen very efficient.
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