I have been doing my cuff and scapula exercises diligently for the past three weeks and I have moved on from the red theraband to the green. My question is this, what constitutes a strong rotator cuff muscle group? I can perform a set of 60 repetitions with the green theraband for internal and external rotation as well as for my scapular exercises. Those who have been to therapy before will know what I am talking about while others are thinking I am from another planet. For those who are familiar with these exercises, at what level is the cuff considered strong? I still get a little bit of popping (both shoulders now since my RH has been taking up the slack for the left, and it was probably injured to a lesser degree as well from the get go) and some apprehension when raising and lowering my arm. I think my PT is going to release me to get back in the water when I see him this week but I am curious if I have done all I can do with my cuff strength. I plan on doing these exercises regulalry for as long as I continue to swim but how far do you go before you decide that PT is not going to solve your problem? Thanks for the input everybody.
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Former Member
Hello again. Internal rotators include two very large strong mls. pectorals and latissimus. External rotators are all small and relatively weaker. Internal rotators get a considerable workout doing many common exercises, esp. swimming. Excessive internal rotation causes shoulder impingement of the subacromian structures, tendons and bursa. Because of this I'm not a fan of strengthening internal rotators at all in a swimmer.
Not all ortho's or physical therapy trainners agree. I'm a chiropractor by the way. Still my clinical experience with athletes
is to stretch the strong tight internal rotators and stregthen the exernal rotators. It becomes a permanent prescription to balance the pects and lats with rotator cuff mls. The pec/lat/teres major combination is much more than a match for the smaller weaker external rotators. If this doesnt work and you have surgical repair of the shoulder you still have to do the thera band exercises.
Hello again. Internal rotators include two very large strong mls. pectorals and latissimus. External rotators are all small and relatively weaker. Internal rotators get a considerable workout doing many common exercises, esp. swimming. Excessive internal rotation causes shoulder impingement of the subacromian structures, tendons and bursa. Because of this I'm not a fan of strengthening internal rotators at all in a swimmer.
Not all ortho's or physical therapy trainners agree. I'm a chiropractor by the way. Still my clinical experience with athletes
is to stretch the strong tight internal rotators and stregthen the exernal rotators. It becomes a permanent prescription to balance the pects and lats with rotator cuff mls. The pec/lat/teres major combination is much more than a match for the smaller weaker external rotators. If this doesnt work and you have surgical repair of the shoulder you still have to do the thera band exercises.
