The rotator cuff is a group of four tiny muscles that surround the shoulder joint, and they are often referred to by the acronym "SITS." This stands for supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. Being that swimmers are constantly rotating their arms, they are prone to suffer an injury to this fragile muscle group. If you are a swimmer, there are several exercises you can do to prevent a tear.
External Rotations
External rotations are performed with a light- to moderate-resistance rubber band. Attach it to a doorknob and stand with your body perpendicular to the door. Grab the handle with your hand that is on the opposite side of your body from the door. Bend your elbow 90 degrees and keep your upper arm tight against your side. Your arm should now be across your stomach. Extend the handle outward as far as you can, then let it come back. Your arm should move like a gate swinging open. Take one second to externally rotate and one second to come back. Do this for two minutes, then switch sides. Do two to three sets.
Internal Rotations
Internal rotations are similar to external except you are going in the opposite direction. Start out the same way as you did for external rotations, only this time grab the handle of the band with your hand that is closest to the door. Rotate your arm towards the door slightly and step laterally about a foot. With your upper arm tight against your side and your elbow bent 90 degrees, pull the band across your body then let it go back. Perform this for two minutes and switch sides. Do two to three sets.
Scaptions
Scaptions are an exercise that you can do with no weight or you can hold onto something light like soup cans. To do these, stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. With your arms straight, extend them up in the air and about 1 to 2 feet in front of your body at a slight angle and level with your shoulders. Lower them back to your sides. Now extend your thumbs like you were hitch hiking and lift your arms back up the same way. This time don't stop until your hands are at the height of your head. Alternate raising and lowering your arms for two minutes and do two to three sets.
Wall Circles
Wall circles are done with a tennis ball. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Extend one arm straight out to the wall and hold the tennis ball against it with your hand. Roll the ball in a counterclockwise motion for 15 seconds, then go clockwise for 15 seconds. Your arm is moving in a circular motion. Take one second to make each circle, do the exercise for two minutes, then switch arms. Perform two to three sets.
Lying Rotations
Lying rotations can be done from the comfort of your bedroom. To do these, lie on your stomach with your shoulder right on the edge of the bed and the rest of your arm hanging off. Bend your elbow 90 degrees and hold on to a soup can or light dumbbell. Slowly rotate your arm down until it is perpendicular to the floor, then lift it back up until it is parallel to the floor. Repeat for two minutes, switch sides and do two to three sets.
Extended Pushups
Push-ups are a chest exercise that also incorporates the shoulders. To put more emphasis on the rotator cuff muscles, you can add a variation. Start out on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders. With your back straight, push yourself up until your arms are extended. When you get there, slowly rotate your shoulders down and extend your back up. Hold for two seconds, then lower yourself down until your chest is about a fist-width away from the ground. Continue this exercise for two minutes or until you can go no further. Do two to three sets. If these are too intense, you can also do them on your knees or with your hands against a wall in a standing position.
