What do rock climbers, swimmers, yoga practitioners, baseball players have in common? A tendency to overlook rotator cuff exercises that could help them stretch and strengthen the muscles that are prone to rotator cuff injury. Add to that list anyone who has a desk-bound lifestyle, in which our shoulders can become tight and imbalanced from hours hunched over the keyboard, and anyone who spends a lot of time in everyday life experiencing repetitive overhead motion, such as painting a house.
This area of the body can easily become aggravated. Fortunately, it is possible to stretch and strengthen these muscles through rotator cuff exercises that can extend your range of motion, relieve shoulder pain, and reduce your chances of experiencing a debilitating injury.
Rotator Cuff Anatomy
The rotator cuff comprises four muscles that stabilize the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and allow the shoulder to rotate. The rotator cuff muscles include:
- Supraspinatus: helps you lift your arm
- Infraspinatus: externally rotates your arm
- Teres minor: stabilizes the glenohumeral joint
- Subscapularis: internally…
