Rotator Cuff exercises

[KulaShaker]

We talk about damaged rotator cuffs, but have never really covered specific exercises JUST for said "muscle" - at least not to my memory

I realize hindu pushups have done good things... the mcsweeny high reach - same...

My problem is that hindu pushups are now inflaming my rotator cuff big time. That didn't used to happen!! I was 85 reps into my first time that I really was going to have no trouble hitting my first set of 100 straight during a trinity workout and I was FORCED to stop.

If it hurts, stop! right? I did that. But the pain has not gone away. Atlas pushups are also now offending and rest is hurting worse. Light work gets them loose, but the nagging remains and continues to worsen - even with a full 7 day break. Counter-intuitive - right?

Well after googling, I see the only way to fix it is with weights apparently.
See what I'm talkin about?
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/images/rotator_cuff_external.gif

It appears DVR and the power belt can substitute for the weights. Power Ts work like the rotating pushup handles I've seen.

My real question is to ask what suggestions the forum has for specific exercises that I might try.

May the rotator cuffs benefit :highfive:

Kula

[kelbiz]

The is a great warm-up exercise on p. 49 in John's classic PYTP called "The Egyptian". I don't know if it was meant as a shoulder (rotator cuff) exercise, but when I do it under tension, I really feel the benefit in my shoulders.
The big plus is that no weight is required. By applying your own resistance, you can help your body heal itself.

Jack

[ShrinkingGuy]

McSweeney's High Reach from M7 is great for the shoulder as a whole, and I am not alone in attributing cuff-healing powers. I am no doctor though. I just know it helped me. Or it helped build muscle that holds the shoulder in where it was supposed to stay in the first place.

I did that exercise you illustrate as well, but I did it with a jar of Pace picante sauce. That isn't a weight really, but gives you enough to focus on when you VRT the exercise. Nobody has banged-up-picante syndrome.

Also Earle Leiderman's rock lift is good. (It is an imaginary rock you pick up and lift over your head VRT style) I don't remember what it is really called, but it is one of the first exercises I remember doing as a kid. Me and my cousins watched our dads do it and it looked cool. Also the Hulk was on TV at the time....

Out of the three I think the high reach from M7 did me the most good.

[kelbiz]

I did it with a jar of Pace picante sauce.

But I don't like picante sauce! :at-wits-end:

Jack

[clintonfales]

Like Shrink said, try the High Reach from M7. This Tiger Move has done wonders for my right and left shoulders after weight-lifting injuries, and it won't take long to see results. Not sure why, and I didn't buy the testimonies of others until I tried it myself, but it works.

[MikeNY]

Someone told me that Robon McKenzie the Physical Therapy author that developed McKenzie Exercises has a new book out on shoulder and rotator cuff injuries. Google it, it might be what you want. I went through McKenzie Physical Therapy for an injured Back and that was superb! I know nothing about his new book; but if it works as good as his Back and Neck books it will be great.

[KulaShaker]

Ah! The warm-up exercises are a staple for me before every workout, but I have never done the egyptian under tension. That hit it for sure. Good stuff!

I forgot to mention that the McSweeny high reach causes me NO pain and I am strong there. Therefore, I'm thinking that is not the area i need to target. I like to do wall handstands for ~30-45 sec a rep and that's the exact same muscles working for me.

I tried my earlier googled exercises with weights (read: 32 oz nalgene filled with water equaling 2 lbs) and didn't get much until I DVR/VRT'd the intensity up so I was actually working it a little better. Meh. This is where I'm struggling - too light of a force and it's not feeling like exercise...

I'm going to look into the McKenzie book

[Greg Newton]

Kulashaker,

The L-flye works better done standing and done DVR/VRT style. You can work both arms at the same time. Movements I've also found helpful are found in Jim Forystek's Powerflex; Gorilla Flex III and Cougar Flex II. Both movements resist the arm across the body. With the Gorilla Flex you grasp your elbow and reist as you bring it down and across. With the Cougar flex you grasp the wrist and pull the arm back across the body at the waist. In both you will feel the muscles of the upper back and the lats.

At the beginning of doing Transformetrics, I had rotator problems. For a long time I had to stick to medium grip military pushups where I didn't lock out.

Greg

[CecilS]

LIke Greg, I've done the L flye standing. I put the back of my hand against a door frame and then pushed outward as I would to do an isometric and then let my body rotate.

Isometrics work well in and of themselves for this as well. Although for injuries I do many more points in the range of motion.

On a slightly unrelated note I cured one of my shoulders from some nagging pain that turned out to probably be some flexibility issue related to adhesions. What I did was this. Take your left arm, extend your elbow out and point your fingers at the floor. Now tuck your forarm back so the back of your hand is resting against your ribs. Now you're in kind of a reverse chicken wing with your elbow pointed foreward. To stretch I'd place the outside of my arm with the elbow facing forward against a door frame and then slowly turn left into the door frame. This will then point your forward facing elbow to the right as you turn to the left.

When did this there was that type slight discomfort where you could tell you were stretching muscles that needed to move badly but hand't moved for quite some time. I repeated this several times a day and my shoulder pain went away and hasn't returned.

Not sure if this will help the original poster, but may help others. Give it a try, you should know right away if it's something that will help you or not.

[blackbelt]

As someone who has dealt with rotator cuff issues on and off, for the past couple of years, I can tell you this. There is no one right exercise for rotator cuff rehab. It’s a VERY complicated musculature, to say the least.

The exercise in your illustration can be done with thera-band. BUT, my suggestion would be to get it checked out by someone first. With my most recent flare up, I started with a family practitioner. He then referred to an orthopedic surgeon, who sent me to physical therapy.

At the very least, that may be the best way to determine exactly what muscle is giving you problem. Then, they can give you the appropriate exercises for rehab.

In my case, my earlier diagnosis was a strength imbalance with my infraspinatus muscle. But, my more recent problem stemmed from tightened muscles, which largely required simply although previously unknown (to me) stretching exercises. The therapist had me use thera-band, so I could strengthen and get a mild stretch at the same time. But, this week I’ve been doing some of the stretches by themselves, and it seems to have helped.

[MikeNY]

kelbiz I wonder how many victims of busted up Pace picante sauce there are? Think about it.

I have a little stiffness in one shoulder the M7 high reach works wonders on that for me.

[KulaShaker]

I definitely will gt it checked out if it gets worse. I've had physical therapy for my knee before and they basically said, here's your exercises - make sure you do them. Gee thanks!

I'm apprciative that I have suggestions to go off of now. trial and error should let me know if I'm getting something useful or not.

I've also been stretching to increase my shoulder flexibility because I was unaware until december that I didn't have as much as I thought I did.

dippping chips into the pace picante? Definitely a repetitive use injury!

[armorplated]

the thing about the rotator cuff is that you need to strengthen the stablizer muscles around it to allow it to heal. if hindu and mcsweeny high reach are not working try this........put your forearm across your stomach/chest......your arm should be at a right angle with the inside of your forearm touching your torso. rotate your forearm outtward while you rotate upper arm upward at the same time. the end position should be with your arm at a right angle with your bicept/tricept parrell to the floor and your forearm straight up and down. go through the movements smooth applying DSR pressure only moderate 12 reps 2 sets every day. id do both shoulders just to keep symetry.

[kelbiz]

kelbiz I wonder how many victims of busted up Pace picante sauce there are? Think about it.

I have a little stiffness in one shoulder the M7 high reach works wonders on that for me.



Mike;

Picante Syndrome is pretty widespread! :doctor:

The High Reach im Miracle 7 is also great, as you wisely state. The point is, there are some great movements in John's books that really do the trick. You just have to find out what works for you and go with it.

Jack

[KulaShaker]

the thing about the rotator cuff is that you need to strengthen the stablizer muscles around it to allow it to heal. if hindu and mcsweeny high reach are not working try this........put your forearm across your stomach/chest......your arm should be at a right angle with the inside of your forearm touching your torso. rotate your forearm outtward while you rotate upper arm upward at the same time. the end position should be with your arm at a right angle with your bicept/tricept parrell to the floor and your forearm straight up and down. go through the movements smooth applying DSR pressure only moderate 12 reps 2 sets every day. id do both shoulders just to keep symetry.


Wow, that definitely is noticable in the way that it hits my sore spot at the top of the movement. I like that my whole shoulder feels worked throughout the exercise