Rotator Cuff Rehab - As Easy As One Two Three

Okay, I know that if you are suffering from rotator cuff pain at the moment the last thing you need is some cheery soul being glib about how to fix it, but the reality is that for most of us rotator cuff rehab is actually quite simple. The only exceptions to that rule are if you have either managed to acquire a bad tear or what is known as a full thickness tear. If you have then you'll be booking surgery before you start using that shoulder again.

But, like I said, for the majority of us rotator cuff rehab is relatively simple.

The first thing that you need to understand is the nature of the injury that you have, because once you do, then you start to understand how you are going to fix it.

A rotator cuff injury is damage to the muscles of the rotator cuff. These are a group of four muscles that all attach to the shoulder blade at one end and the top of the arm at the other. Their job, in the great scheme of things, is to help hold the arm in place as you move. Depending on how you move different muscles within the group work harder. Once you get your arm above shoulder height you are asking your rotator cuff muscles to work their hardest to stop the ball of the arm coming away from the socket of the shoulder joint.

This is why when you injure your rotator cuff it always hurts worst when you lift your arm above shoulder height or reach for something.

These muscles are all grouped closely together forming a cuff of muscle around the joint to help stabilise it. They run over the surface of the shoulder blade, one of them, the supraspinatus even runs through a channel of bone at the top of the shoulder blade before attaching to the upper arm.

This is the tendon that causes the most trouble with a rotator cuff injury because when it gets inflamed and starts to swell it has nowhere to go so it starts to get pinched by the bone which leads to further injury and pain. Think of it like a tow rope being rubbed against a hard surface. Sooner or later it will start to fray and eventually it will snap.

So if you want a rotator cuff to heal properly there really are three steps.

Step one, rest the muscles to let it heal. That means avoiding any painful movements. That may involve changing the way that you work for a while or even taking some time off.

Step two, treat the inflammation. Try anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and use ice packs whenever you can. If that doesn't work ask your doctor for a steroid injection.

Step three, when the muscle has settled down start a simple course of shoulder specific physical therapy exercises aimed at strengthening and rebuilding the muscles of the rotator cuff. These will be small movements with light weights or low resistance that isolate and exercise this small but important group of muscles.

It's quite logical really. Muscles can't heal unless you rest them. Working through a rotator cuff injury will cause more damage. Let the inflammation go down before you start exercising and do exercises that strengthen the damaged muscle.

Told you it was simple! I know because that's exactly how I fixed my shoulder.

If you found this article useful or just plain interesting then check out my site at

http://myrotatorcuffcure.blogspot.com

My name is Nick Bryant and I am an older dad to two young children aged seven and five. I am keen on staying fit and active so that I can enjoy an active life with my children as they grow. Having suffered a shoulder injury that put me out of action for several painful months, I was keen to share my experience and let others know how I managed my rotator cuff rehab without surgery despite being told that I needed it.

http://myrotatorcuffcure.blogspot.com