At the Rio 2016 Olympics, one of the most anticipated sports is gymnastics and the toughness of these gymnasts are astounding. Most are competing with minor injuries and one of the most common gymnastic injuries is a shoulder injury.
Shoulder pain is a severe distraction. Even lying down in bed can cause enough pain to stop someone from being able to sleep. At Cross Bay Physical Therapy, we help our patients not only alleviate this pain but also re-strengthen the shoulder to handle more activity.
The rotator cuff is a common injury site. It can be slow to heal, limiting, and extremely painful but there are a few exercises that can help you recover. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and by applying appropriate stretching, strengthening, and therapeutic massage, physical therapy can repair a majority of shoulder injuries.
The most common injury is either tendon or muscle tear of the rotator cuff. Our physical therapists will create an individualized physical therapy treatment plan for you to follow, where we will guide you at every session. Here are a few exercises normally part of our strengthening routine but make sure to first speak with one of our physical therapists before trying them.
- Side-lying external rotation - First, lie down on the opposite side of your injured arm and bend your arm at a 90 degree angle. With a light weight, lift the weight, keeping your elbow at 90 degree ankle, away from your body. Hold the dumbbell up for a few seconds and then gently lower your arm down. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
- High-to-low rows - With one of the designated resistance bands in our state of the art facility, get down on one knee holding the band with the injured arm. Hold the band securely with your arm straight and pull the band back toward your chest. Keep your chest outwards and bring the band to the side of your chest. Repeat 3 sets of 10.
- Reverse Fly - First, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and bend forward slightly keeping your back straight. With a light weight in each hand, extends your arms and raise them away from your body. Make sure not to lock your elbow and squeeze your shoulder blades as you lift the weights. Do 3 sets of 10.
Remember these exercises should be tried only after a thorough examination by one of your physical therapists who will create an plan for your treatment. We look forward to helping you strengthen your shoulder and eliminate shoulder pain. Right now, your shoulder may be weak and painful but with the right guidance, there is a great chance that you will again regain full mobility and health of your shoulder.
Call 718-835-0084 and schedule your consultation today!
By Benjamin Bieber