Preventing Common Shoulder Injuries
The most common injuries of the shoulder involve either the rotator cuff – the group of muscles that move and stabilize the shoulder joint – or the glenoid labrum – the rim of cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket and stabilizes the joint. In order to prevent shoulder injuries, care must be taken to strengthen the following areas:
- The rotator cuff
- The muscles on the top of the shoulder (deltoid)
- The muscles connecting the base of the neck to the shoulder (trapezius)
- The muscles of the midsection, or core, of the body
The exercises listed below will strengthen these areas, and help prevent injury. It is important to note that these moves should be used only by the uninjured, healthy individual. For injured athletes, the exercises should be modified by the appropriate healthcare professional, usually a physical therapist.
Strengthening the Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles and tendons that surround and stabilize the shoulder joint – the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the subscapularis and the teres minor. These muscles are relatively small, and perform a very specific function. As a result, exercises targeting the rotator cuff involve relatively small movements, and are done with very light resistance (weights or resistance bands). The primary moves for strengthening the rotator cuff are internal and external rotation. Both internal and external rotation moves begin with the arm at the side, and the elbow flexed to 90 degrees. The arm is then moved toward the body for internal rotation, and away from the body for external rotation. The movements can be done initially without resistance. As the individual becomes stronger, light resistance can be slowly added.
Strengthening the Deltoid Muscle
The deltoid is the muscular “cap” on the top of the shoulder that functions to raise the upper arm away from the body (abduction). The deltoid divides into three sections – the front, middle and rear (anterior, medial and posterior) heads of the muscle. The exercises that strengthen the deltoid use abduction from multiple angles. These moves include the front (anterior) shoulder raise, side (lateral) shoulder raise, and rear (posterior) shoulder raise.
Front shoulder raise – Begin with arms at sides, and slowly raise hands in front of body to shoulder height, while keeping elbows straight.
Side shoulder raise – Begin with arms at sides, and slowly raise hands out to the side of body to shoulder height, while keeping the elbows straight.
Rear shoulder raise – Best done while seated. Sit at the edge of a stable chair, and bend forward at the waist. From this position, raise the arms out to the sides to shoulder height. Elbows may be slightly bent.
Strengthening the Trapezius
The trapezius muscle anchors the scapula, increasing overall shoulder stability. The best way to work the trapezius is using the so-called “shrug” exercise. As the name implies, this exercise mimics the normal shrugging motion. While standing straight with arms hanging at the sides the shoulders are pulled up toward the ears, using a shrugging motion. The position is held for 5 seconds, and released. This exercise is initially done without weights. Resistance can be added with hand-held weights as strength increases.
