By Gavin Buehler
In last month's F.I.T. Tip we mentioned the 4 muscles that make up the rotator cuff and the importance of these muscles and why they are prone to injury. We covered a couple of exercises that address the supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor muscles, so this month we’ll include an exercise for the subscapularis and another one for the infraspinatus and teres minor.
I commonly find dysfunction with the subscapularis muscle as it can be overlooked due to compensation from the larger gross movement muscles (pectoralis major, teres major and latissimus dorsi) that also assist with the action of internal rotation of the arm. While the subscapularis’ “primary” action is internal rotation, it plays a significant role in preventing forward and back shear forces at the shoulder joint as well as pulling the humeral head down to create space for abduction and/or flexion of the arm (lifting your arm overhead.) So, keeping this muscle strong and healthy is very important for overall shoulder health.
This video will highlight a basic exercise for the subscapularis as well as look at another angle to address the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles.
The exercises in this video are fantastic prehab, maintenance, and depending on the stage of a recovery, rehab exercises for your rotator cuff muscles.
As always, these videos are for entertainment and educational purposes only. Please consult a health professional before attempting new exercises or protocols, as the following suggestions may or may not be appropriate for you.
Elbow on Knee External Shoulder Rotation @ 0:48
Supine Arm Abducted Internal Shoulder Rotation @ 3:02
Recommended Protocols:
Elbow on Knee External Shoulder Rotation – 1-3 sets, 12-15 reps, 2 secs up, 4 secs down. This exercise can be performed 2-3x/week. Start with light weight and do not exercise muscles to failure.
Supine Arm Abducted Internal Shoulder Rotation – 1-3 sets, 12-15 reps, 2 secs up, 4 secs down. This exercise can be performed 2-3x/week. Start with light weight and do not exercise muscles to failure.