The rotator cuff muscles support the shoulder, helping you to move your arm. You can damage or tear the rotator cuff muscles and tendons through overuse motions like throwing a baseball or swinging a tennis racquet. Rehabilitative exercises can help speed the healing process in these types of injuries. However, check with your physician before beginning an exercise program after an injury to ensure you can safely exercise without causing further damage.
Immediate Treatment
Treat the shoulder injury for at least two to three days before you engage in rehabilitative or regular exercises. Ice the affected area to reduce inflammation and pain; wear a compression bandage or sling to reduce swelling and allow you to rest the arm; elevate the arm slightly by resting it on the back of a couch or over stacked pillows to encourage blood flow away from the area, reducing inflammation and swelling. After this time period, engage in other treatment methods like massage and heat to loosen tight muscles around the shoulder joint. Begin the exercises when you can move your shoulder with minimal pain or strain.
Stretching
Stretching the rotator cuff muscles following an injury helps you to relieve muscles that may have become tightened from overuse. Regular stretching also can have a preventive effect, keeping the muscles from becoming too tight, which increases your risk for injury. Examples of rotator cuff stretches include clasping your hands behind your back and lifting them upward, feeling the stretch in the front of your shoulders. Another stretch involves holding a broom handle behind you. Lift the affected arm in a 90-degree angle as if you are pitching a baseball and grasp the top of the broom handle. Pull the arm back slightly to feel a stretch in the rotator cuff.
Strengthening
Strengthening exercises help to stabilize the rotator cuff joint and prevent future injury. Wait until your rotator cuff has fully healed before engaging in these exercises. To begin, lie on a weight bench or bed and with your affected arm hanging free. If possible, grasp a light handweight -- between 1 and 3 lbs.-- in this hand. Lift your arm out to the side, bending at the elbow to create a 90-degree angle with your forearm and upper arm that is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for two to three seconds, then lower to your starting position. Repeat six to eight times, then perform on your unaffected arm to balance your muscles.
Return to Exercise
Certain exercises are associated with increased risk for rotator cuff injuries. These include playing baseball, lifting heavy weights over the shoulder, playing racquet sports or swimming the breaststroke, butterfly or backstroke. Wait until your arm is fully healed before beginning these exercises. In the meantime, try exercises that place less strain on the shoulders, such as walking, riding a bicycle or using an elliptical machine.
