Rotator Cuff Strengthening

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons in the shoulder that also stabilize the shoulder. These muscles and tendons connect your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade. Injury to the rotator cuff includes any type of irritation or damage to the muscles and tendons. Common causes for rotator injury may include falling, lifting, and repetitive arm activities - such as a job/hobby that requires overhead lifting, throwing a baseball, or placing items on overhead shelves.

If you've had a rotator cuff injury in the past, daily shoulder stretches and a shoulder-strengthening program can help prevent a recurrence. Most people exercise the front muscles of the chest, shoulder and upper arm, but neglect the back of the shoulder or around the shoulder blade.

The two following exercises are beneficial for strengthening the rotator cuff.

The seatbelt:

The Sword:

One Legged Squat

One of the main benefits of squats is that it is a compound full body exercise which helps to engage and contract just about every muscle group in the body. Squats help you to fully use the most muscles per exercise. They are also useful for toning your buttocks, hips, quadriceps, and calves. They are also an excellent way to improve posture and balance. Because you need to use the proper form, concentration is key.

Foot strengthening

The foot is often neglected in work out routines. However, it plays a vital role in providing stability and balance for our entire body. Try following exercises:

The Vele/Skier exercise is designed to stabilize your foot muscles.

1. Start by standing a few inches from the wall.

2. Slowly lean towards the wall making sure to bend at the ankles and not through the back.

3. Try to touch your nose to the wall, feeling your feet muscles grip the ground (you do not need to actually touch your nose to the wall).

4. Return to neutral and repeat for 10 reps. Perform 3-4 sets per day.

5. Make sure that you are leaning forward and not bending at the waist.

The toe grip is another easy, but simple exercise designed to strengthen your foot muscles and improve balance:

1. Drop a sock on the floor and use your toes to grip and lift it off the floor.

2. Hold for 10 seconds, then release.

3. Repeat five times with each foot.

If you or any one you know is experiencing foot pain, call our office to schedule a visit. Stay active!

Balance

Balance, sometimes called proprioception, is communication between your mind and your muscles that allows the body to remain stable. Balance is an important skill for everyone, especially as we age. Injuries from falls and accidents are a significant risk for older adults. Maintaining stability throughout the course of our everyday activities is a key factor in maintaining health and wellness.

Squats with a ball

With the cold weather, many people hit the gym to get their workout in. Squats are a great exercise for toning the legs and buttocks. However, poor squat form is one of the most common injuries we will treat in the next couple of months. We've posted a previous video on a squat form drill. Enjoy this exercise and be cognizant of your form!

Running Man Glute Exercise

This challenging exercise works on glute strength in multiple directions, one legged balance, and body awareness at the same time. This is a fairly advanced exercise, and must be done with proper form to achieve the desired results. When performing this exercise, there should be very little knee bend, and you should feel it primarily in the upper outer portion of your glutes (buttocks muscles). The further back you reach with your leg, the more challenging the exercise will be. It’s normal to have some burn in other muscles of the leg. However, you should feel it primarily in the glutes. Enjoy!

Core Importance and Exercise

Having a strong core is important, especially since most physical activity involves these muscles. Core muscles are those muscles that make up our mid-section. They include the abdominals, obliques, lower back and glutes. These muscles are responsible for maintaining equilibrium and posture, while also providing stability for all forms of activity. By keeping the core strong, the rest of our body can function at a much greater efficiency. A strong core can help improve posture, prevent lower back pain and injury, and improve physical performance and balance. Some very effective core exercises involve abdominal bracing or “sucking in the gut”, planks, and bridges. Check out the video below for a great core work out!

The side bridge is a challenging exercise that builds strength and tones while being very safe for the low back if performed correctly. Listen for how to avoid the common error of lifting the pelvis vertically during the exercise. You can do this exercise with repetitions (ie 3 sets of 10 with a 5 to 10 sec hold), or it can be performed for time. I usually recommend starting at 30 sec and working up to 60-90 sec per side. Once you can complete a hold for this time, straighten the knees and perform the same motion, except with the feet contacting the ground (top leg in front of the bottom leg). Enjoy and have fun!

This exercise is part of a progression we might assign for back pain patients. If you or someone you know has back pain, please consider our clinic.