Rotator Cuff Exercises

Rotator cuff exercises can help relieve rotator cuff pain or injury. First, what is the rotator cuff? The rotator cuff is four muscles that attach from the scapula (shoulder blade) to the upper arm bone (humerus). These four muscles are important in moving (rotating) the arm:

• The supraspinatus is at the top part of the shoulder blade and helps abduct (move out to the side) your arm.

• The infraspinatus is on the lower part of the shoulder blade and helps laterally rotate (turn inward) your arm.

• The teres minor is located next to the infraspinatus and also helps laterally rotate the arm.

• The subscapularis is on the underside of the shoulder blade and helps adduct (move inward) and medially rotate (turn outward) the arm.

If your doctor tells you that you have a rotator cuff injury or rotator cuff tendonitis, it could be any of the four muscles. A good sports medicine doctor will be able to tell you specifically which muscle, but if you just have the vague diagnosis of rotator cuff injury, it's OK to do all of the following exercises. Note that it's a good idea to get your doctor's OK before doing any exercises.

General Instructions for These Rotator Cuff Exercises

These exercises are designed to rehab an injury. DO THEM EVERYDAY for six to eight weeks. Start with a weight of 1/2 to one pound and work up to four to six pounds. Do not use a heavier weight, even if you are a weightlifter or bodybuilder. Building muscle is not the purpose of these exercises. If you want a more complete rotator cuff exercise program, see The Ultimate Rotator Cuff Training Guide from a physical therapist.

Do three sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. You should feel some tiredness or stress only on the third set. If you feel stress before the third set, you are using too much weight. Stop, and on the next day use less weight. If you feel no tiredness or stress in the third set, you are not using enough weight. The next day, add a little more weight.

Icing after these exercises is usually a good idea.

Warm Up

Before using any weight go through each exercise without weight for 10 repetitions. If moving without weight is painful, do not add weight yet. Just do the exercises without weight each day until the discomfort subsides enough to add a half pound.

Supraspinatus Exercise

Lie on your side with the injured arm toward the ceiling, arm lying straight on the side of your body. Holding the appropriate weight, lift the arm slowly toward the ceiling to about a 20 to 30 degree angle, then bring it back down to your side without resting it on your hip.

Infraspinatus and Teres Minor Exercise

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Subscapularis Exercise

Lie on you back, upper arm on the floor/table with your forearm held in a vertical position, holding the appropriate weight. Keeping the upper arm on the floor, lower the arm toward the floor, going only as far as you can with discomfort. Return to the starting position.


Three More Simple Rotator Cuff Exercises

Rotator Cuff Video from a Chiropractor

More Shoulder Articles

Frozen Shoulder Treatment
Preventing Rotator Cuff Injury
Reducing Rotator Cuff Pain



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