| Coming up with the right shoulder rotator cuff | | | | link. Exercises aimed at strengthening this group of |
| exercises depends really on what you are trying to | | | | muscles can have a dramatic effect on performance, |
| achieve. Having a healthy rotator cuff is key to | | | | but even these exercises would be low weight low |
| overall shoulder health and strength so exercising | | | | resistance exercises. |
| them and keeping them healthy makes perfect | | | | For the rest of us, it is really just about maintaining |
| sense. | | | | the general fitness level of our rotator cuffs. As we |
| The cuff is a group of four muscles that surround | | | | age, these muscles become weaker through lack of |
| the shoulder helping to stabilise the joint. There main | | | | exercise. Changes in posture can also lead to |
| roles are to pull the head of the humerus into the | | | | problems with the tendons leading to tendonitis or |
| socket of the shoulder and to help with rotational | | | | shoulder impingements. It is no coincidence that |
| movement. If you rotate your arm like a windmill, all | | | | shoulder injuries are more common in the over forties |
| of this group of muscles will come into play. Lifting | | | | and the incidence increases with age. |
| your arm out to the side or front puts the most | | | | Therapy for all shoulder injuries will include exercises |
| strain on them. This is why this movement is painful | | | | for the rotator cuff at some point in the recovery |
| when you have damaged a rotator cuff. | | | | process. |
| Whenever you lift something the rotator cuff works | | | | Yoga and Pilates focus on core strength and balance, |
| to hold the arm in place. The socket of the shoulder | | | | aiming to align the body properly and develop correct |
| is very shallow. Add a weight to the arm and the | | | | posture. They concentrate on control and flexibility. |
| force is trying to push the arm out of the socket. | | | | All the exercises are slow and controlled and are |
| The cuff pulls the arm into the socket to give | | | | done in a specific order aimed at developing the |
| shoulder stability. | | | | whole body. Where changes in posture have resulted |
| Weightlifters will find that it is the rotator cuff that | | | | in rotator cuff problems, these type of exercises can |
| can limit their lifting ability. Unless it is strengthened | | | | help to correct the posture and solve the problem. |
| along with other muscles it becomes the weakest | | | | |