When toned and sculpted, the muscle that causes lateral movement at the shoulder joint adds shape and symmetry to your physique. But poor form can place stress on the internal structures of your shoulder joint, leading to pain and potential injury. Performing lateral raises with your thumbs turned upward gets two thumbs up for good lifting technique.
Shoulder Joint Anatomy
The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket formed by the head of the humerus and the glenoid of the scapula. The joint is stabilized by cartilage surrounding the glenoid called the labrum. The biceps tendon attaches at the shoulder and helps stabilize the joint. Four short muscles called the rotator cuff surround it and are responsible for rotation. The deltoid muscle that forms a cap at the top of your arm is responsible for abduction or movement to the side, flexion and extension. The lateral raise exercise targets the deltoid muscle.
Impingement Syndrome
Dr. Bruce Anderson describes impingement syndrome as a painful compression of rotator cuff muscles and shoulder bursae, fluid-filled sacs that separate the bones, resulting when the bones of the shoulder are brought together as in a lateral raise. According to sports massage therapist Stephan Van Breenan, lateral abduction performed with internal rotation, such as in a lateral raise performed with the palms parallel or slightly "thumbs down" to the floor, is the most damaging movement leading to impingement syndrome. If not corrected, chronic impingement may lead to bursitis, rotator cuff tendonitis and thinning or rupture of the rotator cuff tendons.
Performing Lateral Raises
To execute a technically sound lateral raise, select a weight that you can lift to the side using the deltoid alone. Begin with feet apart, knees slightly bent, abdominals contracted. Rotate your arms from the shoulder so that your palms face slightly forward at about a 45-degree angle to your body. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, exhale and lift to the side, maintaining your rotational angle so that your thumbs are turned upward. Stop at shoulder height, then inhale and slowly lower to your start position.
Other Considerations
Because the deltoid is a relatively small muscle, it must produce a great deal of force to move a weight laterally at the end of the long lever of your arm. Many people make the mistake of attempting to lift more weight than the deltoid muscle alone can handle, resulting in the recruitment of other muscles that generate momentum and reliance on gravity to lower the weight. thus placing considerable rotational stress on joint structures. To protect the joint from injury, begin with a weight slightly lighter than you think you can lift and focus on isolating the deltoid. Gradually increase your weight load as you perfect your technique.
References
- Exercises for Injuries; Rotator Cuff Pain with Lateral Raise; Rick Kaselj, MS
- Better Bodyz; Common Shoulder Injuries in Weight Lifting; Stephan Van Breenan; February 2011
- Southern California Orthopedic Institute: Anatomy of the Shoulder
- UpToDate.com; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Overview; Bruce C. Anderson, MD; May 2011
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