Rotator Cuff Injuries - Recover Forever
For those of you who read my blog last week ‘Rotator Cuff Injuries - Treat and Prevent” know what our current blog series is all about.
Today we are teaching YOU how to RECOVER and PREVENT rotator cuff injuries once and for all, and FOREVER.
We don’t only want you to fix it for the short term, we are adamant to enable you to be as PAIN FREE as possible, and what better way than to learn to treat yourself?
Are you wondering WHY you are getting that niggly, annoying pain in your shoulder that just won’t go away, no matter how much you rest? Please refer to my previous blog for details on WHY. Today we are taking things a step further.
What can you do to FIX it FOREVER?
It’s simple, just work on the muscle imbalance - address the CAUSE.
1. Increase stability in the shoulder joint
The shoulder joint is an extremely mobile joint, which is great because it gives us great freedom of movement. This joint needs to b stable to prevent injury, and long term damage.
Stand with your hand against the wall, with straight arms. Push your shoulder blades down and together and imagine you are closing down your shoulder joint, by applying some body weight through your arms.
Progress this exercises by increasing the weight applied, and moving slowly towards a more vertical position eventually doing this in the plank position on the ground. To further progress this exercise, you may do in one handed on an unstable surface.
2. Increase rotator cuff strength
The rotator cuff muscles provide strength and stability to the shoulder joint and reinforce the stability that the shoulder joint ligaments give the shoulder.
There tendons MUST be specifically targeted in order to strengthen correctly. Simply doing weighted exercises in the gym is just not good enough.
I recommend you use a band and carry our the following 3 exercises.
Rotation
Flexion
Abduction
These exercises may be progressed to multilane movements and sports related movements. It just depends what stage you are at functionally. However, I do recommend that EVERYBODY begins with these basics, you’re be surprised how difficult they may be to carry out.
3. Optimise the biomechanics of your shoulder blade.
Follow this LINK to read more about this and get access to the exercises you need to be doing.
Remember the shoulder blade controls the shoulder joint, so don’t miss this step.
An extra TIP:
For those of you who are gym goers like myself, watch for correct technique with you rapper body work.
The simple pull up is not so simple, when you are engaging the correct muscles. Repetitive overuse of the WRONG muscles WILL lead to imbalance.
Ensure you are seeing the right Personal Trainer to help you optimise your performance, avoid risk of injury and reach your goals. Follow this LINK for recommendations for a personal trainer based both in Chelsea/Fulham and in Bank, City of London.
For those of you who are NOT gym goers, you may still be at risk of poor technique in your day-to-day activities. Something simple like poor posture at your desk, or whilst you sit and read may be contributing. We do recommend you have someone assess this.
