It's easy to see why rotator cuff exercises are of benefit to the injured, but what about the healthy? Why should you exercise your muscles regularly, even when you are fit and uninjured?
Mobility
Stretching and exercising any of our muscles is generally a good thing, but the anatomy of the shoulder, and in particular of the cuff tendons and its associated muscles, make it particularly prone to chronic injury - and easy to neglect in a daily exercise routine.
Your shoulders are designed to permit an extraordinarily wide range of articulation, much of which you are rarely likely to use. Unless you incorporate shoulder exercises into your daily regime, you risk losing some of the healthy articulatory range of your shoulder joints. Worse, you risk injury should you attempt to use the shoulder in a way that exceeds its now limited range.
Maintaining the flexibility of the shoulder, through regular stretching of the rotator cuff muscles, is an important, and easily, overlooked, contributor to your overall fitness
Strength
Mobility goes hand in hand with strength. Simply stretching the cuff muscles, as we have seen, will maintain range. However, only by maintaining muscle strength will you be able to make full, athletic use of the shoulder without fear of injury or strain.
4 Muscles to take care of
The rotator cuff and its four associated muscles form a highly complex, interactive system. For that reason you require a series of exercises that will ensure that each muscle receives the right work, both in isolation and in combination with its neighbours.
There is no one single exercise or stretch that can do this. It s so important to isolate and work each of the muscles individually as well as the group.
No complex equipment required
You do not need expensive gym equipment to do the full range of exercises required. Yes, some of the exercises involve a degree of resistance, and a set of dumbbells is a good way to obtain this, but if you use your imagination you'll find that a good book or a tin of food can serve nearly as well. These exercise really are free!
Convenient
Rotator cuff exercises can be done practically anywhere that suits you - standing, sitting, or even lying down! In the home, in the office, in the park; absolutely anywhere you like and feel comfortable.
Start Now
I hope I have convinced you that maintaining the health of your rotator cuff is easy, effective and free! There really is nothing to stop you. You need no equipment, simply the desire to restore your shoulder to its pre-injury condition, or even improve it.
It is entirely possible to restore strength and reduce pain. All that is required is a daily program of rotator cuff exercises. Why not start now?
Steve Kaiser has used exercise to treat his own rotator cuff symptoms. Learn how you could do the same at Rotator Cuff Therapy Exercises
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