How to Strengthen Rotator Cuff Muscles
There are many ways to strengthen and improve rotator cuff muscles. These movements can help prevent injuries, reduce pain, and improve overall shoulder function. If you’re having trouble with shoulder pain or limited range of motion, we recommend visiting an orthopedic surgeon at the Central Florida Bone & Joint Institute in Orange City. Here are some tips on how to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles.
External Rotation Exercise
External rotation is an exercise designed to target the muscles of your rotator cuff and increase their strength. To perform this exercise, stand with your arm by your side and a light weight in your hand. Bend the elbow of the arm holding the weight 90 degrees, keeping it close to your body. From here, rotate the arm outwards until it is parallel with the floor. Return to the starting position slowly and repeat 10-15 times for 2-3 sets each session.
Internal Rotation Exercise
The internal rotation exercise targets different muscles than external rotation does and helps build strength in other areas of the shoulder joint as well. To perform this exercise, stand with a light weight in your hand and bend the elbow of that arm 90 degrees so that it is close to your side. From here, rotate inward until your forearm is parallel with the floor. Slowly return to starting position and repeat 10-15 times for 2-3 sets each session.
Shoulder Raises
Shoulder raises are a great way to increase strength in both shoulders equally while also targeting other muscles in the upper body such as chest and back muscles as well as core stability muscles like abdominals and obliques. To perform this exercise, begin by standing tall with both feet shoulder width apart holding dumbbells or a weighted barbell at shoulder height gripping them firmly but not tightly in each hand (or just use bodyweight if preferred). Raise both arms straight out from your sides until they reach shoulder height while keeping them slightly bent throughout movement then return back down slowly to starting position and repeat 12-15 times for 2-3 sets each session. Keep core engaged throughout movement for best results!
Conclusion
Strengthening rotator cuff muscles can help reduce pain associated with poor posture or incorrect form during physical activity as well as improve overall performance when engaging in activities such as throwing or swimming which require strong shoulders for optimal performance! If you’re having trouble strengthening these muscles or need more guidance on how best to do so, contact us today at Central Florida Bone & Joint Institute in Orange City for an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating issues related to shoulders! We look forward to helping you find relief soon!