| > | | | | can get pinched or impinged when it is damaged and |
| I had the bad luck to get a rotator cuff tear at the end | | | | inflamed. That impingement can make the tendon fray |
| of last year which really focused me on the rotator | | | | and if you ignore it you can end up with a snapped |
| cuff muscles and not only how to fix them but also | | | | tendon which is extremely bad news. |
| how to go about keeping them healthy. Some of what | | | | So, whilst you are taking it easy, take anti-inflammatory |
| I found out surprised me quite a bit and if I had known | | | | drugs and use ice packs to bring down the |
| then what I now know I would certainly have | | | | inflammation. |
| approached my problem a bit differently. | | | | I made the mistake of working through a rotator cuff |
| I had the bad luck to get a rotator cuff tear at the end | | | | injury and made it much worse. I had tries |
| of last year which really made me think about the | | | | anti-inflammatory drugs but only half heartedly. It was |
| rotator cuff muscles and how to fix them and keep | | | | only when I rested my arm completely and maxed out |
| them healthy. Some of what I found out quite surprised | | | | on anti-inflammatories for about three weeks that I |
| me and if I had known then what I now know about | | | | saw any improvement. |
| rotator cuff injury exercise I would certainly have | | | | Do not pretend to treat the inflammation. Look after |
| approached my problem a bit differently. | | | | your shoulder properly. If you are following a doctor's |
| So read along and hopefully you can learn from my | | | | advice, follow it thoroughly, don't kid yourself. |
| mistakes. | | | | When you have managed to get the inflammation and |
| If you have managed to damage your rotator cuff the | | | | pain under control do not go straight back to using your |
| first thing you need to do is stop using it. No, don't put | | | | shoulder in the same way as before. You need to |
| your arm in a sling but do avoid any movement that | | | | strengthen the shoulder and rotator cuff. This does not |
| causes you pain. I know that is easier said than done. | | | | mean lifting weights and exercising the major muscles |
| We use our arms constantly, we swing them when | | | | like the trapeziums. The rotator cuff is a group of |
| we walk or run. Drop something and we instinctively | | | | relatively small muscles that help to keep the head of |
| reach out to catch it. We use our hands and | | | | the humerus in the socket of the shoulder. |
| consequently our arms to communicate. Resting our | | | | We use them without thinking and any exercise to |
| arms and our shoulders goes against our nature. | | | | strengthen them will not involve using weights. Rotator |
| But, if you do not stop using your damaged shoulder, if | | | | cuff injury exercise tends to be more Pilates based |
| you continue to do the movements that cause you | | | | exercises concentrating on control and flexibility rather |
| pain you will simply end up damaging your arm | | | | than power. Get your rotator cuff up to strength and |
| further. Trust me, I did it! You must change how | | | | your whole shoulder will be stronger. Ignore it and you |
| you move and work for two or three weeks to let the | | | | are likely to have another injury pretty soon. |
| muscle heal properly. This is because the rotator cuff | | | | |