Shoulder injuries are common in athletes and in people who lift, reach, stretch or otherwise use their shoulders every day. Some of the most common shoulder injuries are those involving the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles -- the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and the subscapularis. These muscles work together to stabilize the shoulder joint. Certain exercises, when performed correctly, can help strengthen these rotator cuff muscles.
Internal and External Rotation
Exercises targeting the infraspinatus, teres minor and the subscapularis include internal and external rotation exercises that can be performed using resistance bands, cable machines or hand weights. Tie a resistance band to a vertical stationary pole. You may want to use one of the stabilizing structures that supports exercise equipment in a gym. With the resistance band on your left side, grip the band about 2 feet from the pole with your left hand. Tuck a rolled towel between your ribs and your elbow, bending your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Rotate your arm as you pull your hand toward your stomach, keeping the towel tucked tightly to your body. Put the resistance band in your right hand and shift the towel to your right side, then rotate your arm outward as you extend your fist away from your stomach. You can perform the exact same exercise using a cable machine if you desire more weight, or use free weights and perform the motion in a seated position with your elbow supported if this exercise is too difficult.
Flexion and Extension
You can exercise your shoulder flexors and extensors either while lying down or while standing. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and raise your arm forward and straight up over your head. Lower the weight slowly, and repeat on the other side. Exercise your extensors by standing about a foot from a wall with your back toward the wall and a weight in your hand. Extend your hand backward until the weight touches the wall. Release and repeat on the other side. While lying supine, perform the arm raises, resting your hand on the floor when your arm is over your head. Lie prone and extend your arm toward the ceiling for a more challenging workout than reaching toward the wall.
Abduction and Adduction
You can exercise your shoulder abductors and adductors isometrically or actively. Tuck a pillow or rolled towel between your arm and your side, then squeeze it as close to your body using your arm as you can. Actively exercise your adductors by positioning two cable pulleys high on the poles and attaching a single hand grip to each one. Grab both and pull your hands down to your sides, holding for a few seconds once your hands touch the sides of your body. Your abductor rotator cuff muscles can be challenged isometrically by standing with your side next to a wall and pressing into the wall with your elbow while it is bent at a 90-degree angle. Actively exercise the abductors by holding a hand weight or dumbbell and raising your arm laterally out to the side of your body.
Warnings
Perform all exercises with little or no weight if you have rotator cuff problems or are recovering from an injury of the rotator cuff. Follow your doctor's guidelines for exercises you should and should not do. Don't break the 90-degree plane of your shoulders with your elbows while bench pressing, which can cause damage to the rotator cuff. With all listed exercises, gradually increase the amount of weight to avoid straining or otherwise injuring the rotator cuff muscles.
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