| Shoulder pain is a pretty common ailment in today's | | | | this disclaimer: If you have had shoulder surgery, have |
| technologically advanced work place. As a physical | | | | or suspect a torn tendon or muscle you should consult |
| therapist, I have treated and helped many patients | | | | a medical professional before attempting any exercise |
| understand and work through what they think is a | | | | or treatment you read on this website or any website |
| "rotater cuff injury". There is a difference between a | | | | for that matter. |
| true rotator cuff (RC) injury/tear and the usual | | | | So, why do I say this is the best RC exercise? Well, it |
| everyday shoulder pain. Sometimes it is a legitimate | | | | helps to understand why you may have "rotator cuff |
| injury to the specific muscles that make up the cuff. | | | | pain". The majority of daily actions for most people is a |
| Most of the time, however, it is something different. | | | | repetition of shoulder flexion. Whether drinking coffee, |
| Quite frequently people who think that they have | | | | driving your car, mousing on your computer, benching, |
| injured their rotators, have other problems that affect | | | | or military pressing, reaching overhead for something, |
| the muscles of the shoulder. One of the most | | | | etc. With these repetitions the muscles of the cuff get |
| common conditions is more accurately called shoulder | | | | pinched between the bones of the upper am and the |
| impingement syndrome. This condition can affect the | | | | shoulder blade and this causes a lot of pain and |
| cuff, but it affects other muscles also. Many times the | | | | discomfort. |
| long head of the biceps tendon is affected and so you | | | | When you do a pull up or lat pull down, this targets the |
| can have biceps shoulder pain too. This is more | | | | lat muscle. When the lat muscle is engaged it pulls the |
| commonly called biceps tendinitis. | | | | arm bone (humerus) away from the scapula and |
| Typically these are overuse injuries that come from | | | | relieves the pressure on the rotator cuff muscles and |
| lifting the arm up to the front of the body (shoulder | | | | biceps tendon. This can in turn reduce the pain that is |
| flexion) over and over again. Weight lifters frequently | | | | common in people who think that they have injured |
| can get a biceps tendinitis from repeated bench | | | | their rotator cuff. Working it into your routine may |
| presses. Office workers can get sore shoulders from | | | | prove beneficial. |
| too much mousing and other repetitive actions while at | | | | It's important to keep the muscles of the shoulder |
| the desk. Anyone is prone to these types of injuries | | | | complex balanced. Remember that most people |
| when too much of one motion, lifting to the front of the | | | | perform repetitive upper extremity flexion activities |
| body, is done over and over. | | | | through out the day when going through their typical |
| One of the best rotator cuff exercises does not | | | | activities. Adding this exercise to your workouts |
| target the RC at all. It targets the latissimus dorsi | | | | without weights can reduce shoulder pain and help |
| muscle. It's called, drum roll please, the pull up or chin up. | | | | keep the muscles of the upper arm and shoulder |
| For those who can't do the pull up or don't have a pull | | | | balanced and working properly. |
| up bar, they can do a lat pull down. Now, let me add | | | | |