Most of us lead stressful and jet setting lifestyles which seldom leave time for everything except work, sleeping and eating. When our bodies are young, then they bear the brunt of these unhealthy schedules without a murmur. However, with age there are certain parts of our body which become more vulnerable than the others. One of these is the rotator cuff which is situated in the shoulder.
The first sign of a rotator cuff injury is a throbbing pain in the upper arm which recurs periodically. Over time, this pain can become more severe. These symptoms are a sign that a serious rotator cuff injury is in the making - and the only way to prevent this is with rotator cuff exercises.
You can warm up by just stretching your arms and shoulders. Once you are through with stretching them, you can start by bending at the waist. Let your arms hang loose at your side. Shift your arms back and forth while keeping your shoulder and arm relaxed. These rotator cuff exercises need to be done gently and slowly.
The three exercises below all target the rotator cuff. Do 30 repetitions of these exercises per shoulder. If you plan to use weights with these exercises, it's important to avoid using weights which are so heavy that they cause you to tire easily or place too much strain on your shoulders. Start with 2 ounce weights and increase the weight as you build strength.
1. Start by lying face down on a table or bed. Keep your hands down, elbows bent at a 90 degree angle, then raise your left arm up to the level of your shoulder. Next, raise your left hand to shoulder level while keeping your elbow at a right angle. Return your hand slowly to your side. Do 30 reps, then switch to the right arm.
2. Lie on your right side with a rolled up towel under your right arm. Bend your right arm 90 degrees and leave your left arm at rest. Your forearm should be resting against your chest, palm facing down. Raise your left forearm to shoulder level with a roll of your shoulders (the movement is similar to using a backhand swing while playing tennis). Do 30 reps then switch to the other arm.
3. Lie on your right side, with your left arm at rest. Keep your right forearm on the bed or table, elbow bent 90 degrees. Raise your forearm up to your chest using a inward roll of the shoulders, much like a forehand tennis swing. Return your forearm to resting position. Repeat 30 times before switching to the other side.
These are some of the rotator cuff exercises which can help in strengthening and toning the muscles of your shoulder and rotator cuff. - 30453
The first sign of a rotator cuff injury is a throbbing pain in the upper arm which recurs periodically. Over time, this pain can become more severe. These symptoms are a sign that a serious rotator cuff injury is in the making - and the only way to prevent this is with rotator cuff exercises.
You can warm up by just stretching your arms and shoulders. Once you are through with stretching them, you can start by bending at the waist. Let your arms hang loose at your side. Shift your arms back and forth while keeping your shoulder and arm relaxed. These rotator cuff exercises need to be done gently and slowly.
The three exercises below all target the rotator cuff. Do 30 repetitions of these exercises per shoulder. If you plan to use weights with these exercises, it's important to avoid using weights which are so heavy that they cause you to tire easily or place too much strain on your shoulders. Start with 2 ounce weights and increase the weight as you build strength.
1. Start by lying face down on a table or bed. Keep your hands down, elbows bent at a 90 degree angle, then raise your left arm up to the level of your shoulder. Next, raise your left hand to shoulder level while keeping your elbow at a right angle. Return your hand slowly to your side. Do 30 reps, then switch to the right arm.
2. Lie on your right side with a rolled up towel under your right arm. Bend your right arm 90 degrees and leave your left arm at rest. Your forearm should be resting against your chest, palm facing down. Raise your left forearm to shoulder level with a roll of your shoulders (the movement is similar to using a backhand swing while playing tennis). Do 30 reps then switch to the other arm.
3. Lie on your right side, with your left arm at rest. Keep your right forearm on the bed or table, elbow bent 90 degrees. Raise your forearm up to your chest using a inward roll of the shoulders, much like a forehand tennis swing. Return your forearm to resting position. Repeat 30 times before switching to the other side.
These are some of the rotator cuff exercises which can help in strengthening and toning the muscles of your shoulder and rotator cuff. - 30453
About the Author:
Tom Nicholson spends his time helping sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome. Please click here to find out more regarding somerotator cuff exercises.
