Rotator Cuff Exercises - Exercises You Can Do With Rotator Cuff Injury

Rotator cuff exercises will restore strength and mobility in the shoulder, eliminate pain and help strengthen the shoulder to prevent future rotator cuff injuries. None of the following rotator cuff injury exercises should cause pain. If they do, stop and talk to your medical professional for advice.

Exercise 1. This exercise will help loosen up the shoulder before getting into the other rotator cuff exercises. Stand with your feet shoulder wide and bend over so you are horizontal to the floor. Slowly rotate your bad arm in small circle motions gradually increasing the width of the circles. Do fifteen rotations and 3 sets.

Exercise 2. Using your injured arm, reach up and across the chest and put the arm behind the shoulder. Now place your other hand behind the elbow and apply gentle pushing. Hold the stretch for about 10 seconds and repeat 3 or 4 times.

Exercise 3. Grab a towel and using your good arm, sling it across your good shoulder. Reach behind your back with your injured arm and grasp the towel. Smoothly pull on the towel so it pulls the injured arm upward. Hold for at least 10 seconds and do 3 to 4 sets. This exercise can be difficult to do in the initial stages of a rotator cuff injury so if it causes to much pain don't do it.

Exercise 4. Find a door frame or use the corner of a room. Place both hands on the edge of the frame and gently lean forward. Hold the stretch for ten seconds and repeat 3-4 times.

Exercise 5. For this and the following rotator cuff exercises you will need a piece of rubber tubing about 2 to 3 feet long. Grip the tubing with both hands horizontal to the floor (you can do this exercise either sitting or standing). Now, tuck the elbow of the injured arm into your side and rotate the hand outwards. Hold for 10 seconds and do 3 or 4 sets.

Exercise 6. Side raises. Grab your rubber tubing. Let one end dangle on the floor and stand on it. Gently lift your injured arm out from your side. Hold for ten seconds and repeat 3-4 times.

Exercise 7. Front raises. This is similar to the previous rotator cuff exercises except you will lift your arm to the front rather than the side. Again, stand on the end of the tubing and then slowly raise your injured arm up to the front of your body as far as it will go. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3-4 times.

These are just a few basic rotator cuff exercises to get you started before starting a more advanced rotator cuff strengthening program which will help prevent future injuries.

Stretching however, is the best way to start conditioning muscles and tendons of the shoulders. Stretching improves flexibility and mobility. Do them every day and avoid exercises and movements that will make you reach up. This will further impinge the tendons and talk to your doctor or physio about other rotator cuff exercises and the correct form for each. Good luck with your dodgy shoulders!