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Rotator cuff exercises to help you strenghten rotator muscle and recover from injury

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Does rotator cuff exercise really help?

Rotator cuff exercises are really important if you want to strengthen the muscles to avoid injury or, if its too late for prevention, then to aid in your recovery from a rotator cuff injury

The rotator cuff consists of a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. These muscles are used to help lift and rotate your arm away from your body.

(Picture Credit: LocalFitness.com.au)

Rotator cuff tears and inflammation are common.

If you are unlucky enough to have suffered a shoulder injury or simply want to strengthen the rotator muscles there are a variety of exercises to work into your routine.

It may be advisable to start off with light, or even no weights as you gradually improve flexibility, strength and range of motion.

In my case I injured a rotator cuff while cutting branches off a tree.

During the recovery I worked on all of the following exercises. In the beginning it was too painful to even think about using weights but as soon as I could I added weights to strengthen the cuff and hopefully avoid future injury.

Here's a selection of exercises for you to choose from ...

1. Pendulum Arm Exercise

Bend forward 90 degrees at the waist allowing your arms to hang down towards the floor.

Keep your arms relaxed as you gently rock your body causing your arms to move in a clockwise circular motion.

Repeat the exercise to move your arms in the opposite, counterclockwise, direction.

2. Arm Raises

2.1 While clasping your hands together raise your arms above your head.
Keep your arms as straight as you can.

This can be done while lying on your back or from a sitting position.

2.2 From a standing position raise your arm as far as you can, with your goal
being to point straight up to the ceiling.

Keep your arm as straight as possible. Alternate left and right.

2.3 Raise your arm out to your side. As always your arm should be as straight
as possible, and palm facing down.

Keep your body errect and alternate between left and right arms.

This exercise can be done from a siting or standing position.

3. Shoulder Rotation

3.1 Allow your arms to hang straight down and then bend your elbow until your
forearm is parallel to the floor.

Rotate your arm in towards your stomach and then out (away from
your stomach) as far as you can.

This can be done from a sitting or standing position.

3.2 Add some isometric resistance by standing side-on to a wall. Rotate your
arm out until it is pressing against the wall.

Hold for a few seconds and then relax.

3.3 Stand at a corner of a wall and rotate your arm inwards until it is pressing
against the wall.

Hold for a few seconds and then relax.

4. Shoulder Rotation - Lying Position

4.1 While lying on your side, bend your lower arm at the elbow as you did for the
previous rotation exercise.

Raise your forearm, rotating it in towards your stomach.

4.2 While lying on your side, bend your upper arm at the elbow as you did for the
previous rotation exercise.

Lower your forearm down towards your stomach and then rotate it out away from
your stomach.

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