How do you work out your upper body while rehabbing a rotator cuff injury?
Rotator cuff injuries usually start with a small pain in your shoulder that gets worse with each passing day. Before you know it, even simple activities where you need to raise your arm above shoulder level, such as brushing your hair, come with a twinge of pain.
Luckily, you don’t have to stop working out because you have shoulder pain from a rotator cuff injury. Today, we’re going to give you some tips on how to conduct an upper body workout with a rotator cuff injury and then provide a few simple exercises to start off with.
Tips for Working Out with a Rotator Cuff Injury
An upper body workout with a rotator cuff injury is definitely something that most people will be able to do without incident. But you should definitely follow these simple tips to make it as comfortable as possible:
Remember to Use 1:2 Ratio
First off, you should remember to use a one-to-two ratio. In other words, for every chest or press exercise that you do, such as a bench press or incline press, you should also do two back or shoulder exercises to maintain proper balance. This will help strengthen your shoulder muscles and the rest of your body as well.
Add One Exercise at a Time
When you start an upper body workout with a rotator cuff injury, begin with just a few exercises. As you progress, add one new exercise to your regimen every week or two. This is very helpful because if you suddenly start feeling soreness or pain, you’ll know which exercise caused it.
Pay Attention to Your Posture
Go out and walk around somewhere, and one thing you’ll notice is that a lot of people have very bad posture. This may not seem like a big deal when you’re young, but it can cause severe problems as you get older. When working out, you need to pay attention to your posture because you could wind up injuring yourself if your posture is bad during a workout.
Take Your Progression Slowly
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when working out with a rotator cuff injury is trying to progress too quickly. We know that you’re anxious to get back to your old workout routine, but it takes time. Not only should you add just one exercise at a time, as we suggested above, but it’s also important to only do a small number of reps at first and then increase the number over time.
Don’t Ignore Discomfort or Pain in Your Upper Arm
There are people in your life who will often say that you should “power through” pain. While that’s perfectly acceptable in many situations, it can be dangerous when you’ve suffered an injury. Trying to push through the pain could result in a worse injury. If you feel discomfort or pain, this is a clue to slow down.
Three Best Exercises for an Injured Rotator Cuff
The best way to design a plan for an upper body workout with a rotator cuff injury is to sign up with a holistic fitness trainer. Until you do, you can start with these three simple exercises:
Doorway Stretch
All you need for this exercise is a sturdy doorframe. Stand in the doorway with each hand on the edge of the frame, just under your shoulder. With your back straight, move your weight forward and then back again. This will help loosen up your rotator cuff muscles so that you can perform more studious exercises.
High-to-Low Row
For this exercise, you’ll need a resistance band and a sturdy anchor point to secure it. Once the band is attached to the anchor, set it above your shoulder.
Next, drop to one knee, keeping it in line with the rest of your body. Then, grip the band with both hands and slowly pull it to your chest. As you pull it, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Reverse Fly
This exercise requires a set of dumbbells. Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. With your back straight, hinge just slightly at your hips. Extend your arms from your body, being sure not to lock your elbows, so that the dumbbells hang straight down.
As you raise your arms straight out to your sides, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Then, slowly return to the starting position.
Contact Dunedin Fitness and Movement for an Upper Body Workout with a Rotator Cuff Injury
Dunedin Fitness and Movement will help you create an upper body workout that will get you back to your usual self as quickly as possible. With your own personal trainer in Dunedin, there’s nothing you won’t be able to achieve!
Call us today at (727) 755-3485 to set up an appointment.
