Basic Exercises for Rotator Cuff Injuries

Do you currently feel pain in your shoulder area? If you do, its possible that you have torn your rotator cuff. There are a number of reasons that a tear in the shoulder area could occur. The people that take part in sports and are very active are at a higher risk for these kinds of injuries. While rotator cuff injuries can cause serious limitations in the movement of the arm, they can also be very difficult to reverse. However, there are some effective exercises for rotator cuff injuries that will restore range of motion, strength, and endurance.

While we usually look at shoulder exercises as the exercises that involve free weights (dumbbell shoulder raises), or the ones that use the body weight (wide grip pushups), the stretching exercises for rotator cuff injuries are considered to be great exercises for the shoulders. This is particularly true for individuals that are suffering with an injury. Stretching exercises will slowly develop extra strength in the area of the rotator cuff and set the stage for the body to successfully perform more complex exercises later on. Stretches are normally done in a mild and light manner because harsher stretches can further aggravate an injury. When you start doing these shoulder stretches, be sure not to overdo it. Doing too much too soon will not bring faster results.

The common exercises for rotator cuff strength involve bending the arm and the elbow at a 90 degree angle and then raising it upwards and lowering while it remains bent. If you are new to these types of exercises, you do not have to add any weight to the exercise. You could simply perform the range of motion to help develop the needed strength. Perform these for a number of reps so that the body gets used to the movement. Even without the added weight, these exercises can definitely help improve the condition of the shoulder and set the stage for exercises for rotator cuff with progressive resistance.

When the time comes to add progressive resistance to the rotator cuff exercises, you don’t have to exclusively use free weights. It’s a good idea to start with elastic bands which are considered to be common tools for use with exercises for rotator cuff injuries. Once you have developed additional strength with the elastic bands, you will be able to start using free weights.

The amount of weight your use with dumbbell exercises for rotator cuff injuries will vary depending upon your current strength levels. However, it is most definitely advisable that those suffering from an injury should not pack on a lot of excess weight. Light cardio dumbbells would be a good start as would lifting the weights at moderate to high numbers of repetitions. Of course, if you feel any strain or pain, discontinue the performance of the exercise immediately.

Effective exercises for rotator cuff injuries are much less complex than many think. They should be started out with a very light stress level and gradually increase the intensity. When you start out slowly you will reduce the possibility of further aggravating the injury and will increase the potential for healing the injury.

Tom Nicholson has spent years caring for carpal tunnel sufferers. You can follow this link to learn more regarding someexercises for rotator cuff.