One rotator cuff strengthening exercise

If you’ve injured your rotator cuff, physical therapy can help heal this injury. However, many people aren’t aware that physical therapy can also help you prevent rotator cuff injuries. In fact, there’s a physical therapy team that uses many therapies to build rotator cuff strengthening plans, including rotator cuff strengthening exercises.

Our team at Advent Physical Therapy has been helping the residents of west Michigan find great physical therapy for more than two decades. All of this time in business has brought our team a wealth of experience, and it’s taught us that no two patients are the same, even if they have the same injury or medical condition. For this reason, we will never try to shoehorn you into a one-size-fits-all therapy plan. Instead, we’ll find out how your issue is affecting you and what your goals are, and use this information to create a personalized physical therapy plan for you. One goal we can help you reach with such a plan is finding rotator cuff strengthening exercises that may help prevent injury to the rotator cuff.

One exercise that will strengthen your rotator cuff

The shoulder is a complex and important joint, and your rotator cuff is very important to the operation of the shoulder. Your rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder socket. It has a very important job, and this job is to help keep your upper arm bone seated in the shoulder socket. To help the rotator cuff do its job and prevent injuries to it, there are many rotator cuff strengthening exercises you can do.

One exercise that can help increase rotator cuff strength is called internal rotation. This exercise is designed to work chest and shoulder muscles that make up the rotator cuff. To perform internal rotation, you’ll need an exercise band. Loop the band over the handle of a door or another stable object. Stand with the door or object on your right and hold the band in your right hand. Your arm should be bent at a right angle in front of you like you’re carrying a glass of water. You’ll want to stand far enough from the door so there’s little or no slack in the band.

Now that you’re in the start position, you’ll move your right arm slowly across your body. Make sure to keep your right elbow close to your side during this movement. Slowly return your arm to the start position and repeat the exercise with the right arm seven more times for a total of eight reps. Rest for a bit, and then repeat until you’ve completed three total sets with the right arm. Repeat all these steps for your left arm.

Internal rotation is a great rotator cuff exercise, but our team can help you develop a strengthening program that also includes physical therapies such as:

• Targeted stretches
• Manual therapy
• Low-impact cardio
• Thermotherapy

If you’re interested in strengthening your rotator cuffs and reducing your risk of injury, Advent Physical Therapy is here to help. All you have to do to get our help is take one easy initial step.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.