How to Rehabilitate a Rotator Cuff Injury

This is part 2 on working with a Rotator Cuff Injury and prevention.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Part Two:
   Rotator cuff problems are a pain with overhead athletes and athletes that use their arms a lot. Baseball, softball, volleyball, swimmers, and track athletes who throw are the most common athletes to have a rotator cuff injury.
   First of all, the best way to get rid of the pain is rest. However, we all know that during the season this is not most liked choice. Icing the problematic area will help the pain as well as anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen.
   Wall push-ups are commonly included in the rehabilitation of a rotator cuff injury. Start on the wall ,put your hands at varying angles just like on the floor – far apart, close together, triangle. You can also use a physioball and put that on the wall and do the push-ups on that. This is a little more challenging so it should be done after some time.

2. Proprioception is important for shoulder rehabilitation. To do this lay on your back. You need a second person to do this exercise. Put the effected up straight up in the air. Close your eyes. Hold your arm steady in the air as the other person pushes your arm in multiple directions. The farther down the arm is pushed makes it more difficult,for example, the elbow is easier and the wrist is more difficult.
   Another couple exercises are what I call T’s and Y’s. Lay on your stomach with your arm off the table hanging toward the floor. Start by holding a light dumbbell or even nothing. Then lift your arm up in the T position or the Y position. Remember these are two separate exercises. Do not go past your back with your arm. Lift it as far as the table and be sure not to hyperextend it.

3. You can do exercises for prevention of rotator cuff injuries. Theraband exercises are good, external and internal rotation at zero and ninety degrees are good rotator cuff strengthening exercises. The angle means where your shoulder is. For zero, your arm is down at your side; for ninety degrees you have your arm out from your side so that there is a ninety degree angle between your side and your arm.