| Bodybuilders and others who train with weights can | | | | So how can rotator cuff injury be prevented? |
| be very susceptible to rotator cuff injury. This is | | | | An awareness of your rotator cuff and its |
| because of the nature of the activity. Many isolation | | | | vulnerabilities, caution while training, strict form, |
| exercises and machines force the body to move in | | | | warming up and cooling down effectively, good |
| ways that are less than natural in terms of everyday | | | | exercise choice and a balanced routine should all add |
| movements. These kinds of movements place | | | | up to provide solid insurance against injury and swift |
| stresses on joints and muscles in ways they are | | | | recovery in the event of an injury. |
| unaccustomed to being stressed and this increases | | | | Anyone who engages in weight training regularly |
| the likelihood of injury. | | | | should already have good body awareness and be |
| Chances are if you are at all familiar with your rotator | | | | following a balanced routine. They should also be |
| cuff it is because you have injured it at some stage | | | | warming up and cooling down properly. These are the |
| as it is a part of the body that usually goes unnoticed | | | | "common sense" factors that are widely known by |
| until something goes wrong. The rotator cuff | | | | most weight trainers. |
| comprises of four muscles and their respective | | | | However, fewer weight trainers know which |
| tendons: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor | | | | exercises can either place undue stress on the |
| and subscapularis. These muscles work together to | | | | muscles of the rotator cuff or increase the danger of |
| support the shoulder joint and unfortunately can be | | | | impingement and thus should be avoided or used with |
| quite vulnerable to injury in certain circumstances. | | | | extreme care. One such exercise the upright row. |
| Poor form and poor exercise choice (with regard to | | | | The upright row is usually done with heavy weight |
| biomechanics) as well as overuse can take their toll | | | | and places a lot of stress on the elbow joints and |
| on the rotator cuff. | | | | wrist joints as well as the shoulder. To look at it is a |
| A rotator cuff injury is not pleasant and can be quite | | | | very unnatural seeming movement and this alone |
| debilitating. If you've ever injured your rotator cuff | | | | should give us caution. As far as the rotator cuff is |
| you will have realized how much you took these | | | | concerned the problem is that at the top of the |
| muscles for granted prior to the injury. An injured | | | | movement, where there is the most stress, the |
| rotator cuff can restrict your shoulder and arm | | | | shoulder is in internal rotation and this greatly |
| movement (especially overhead movement) and can | | | | increases the chance of impingement which can result |
| severely impact your ability to train effectively as the | | | | in degeneration of the rotator cuff, bursitis and |
| shoulder joint is used in every upper body exercise. It | | | | tendonitis. If you find this movement in the slightest |
| can also be very painful at night if you usually sleep | | | | bit uncomfortable then you should seriously consider |
| on your side. The injury can take a long time to heal | | | | dropping it from your routine. |
| and may leave weaknesses that make the cuff | | | | The upright row is just one example of a 'standard' |
| susceptible to re-injury. Extreme cases may even | | | | exercise that places the rotator cuff at risk. There |
| require surgery. | | | | are others and if you train regularly you should find |
| Exercises and physical therapy are non-surgical ways | | | | out if any of the exercises you routinely do are likely |
| of treating an existing rotator cuff injury but as with | | | | to be putting you at risk of injury. |
| anything, prevention is better than cure. | | | | Remember, prevention is better than cure. |