The Best Rotator Cuff Exercises to Heal and Prevent Injury
Key takeaways:
The rotator cuff includes four muscles and their tendons that stabilize the shoulder.
Rotator cuff pain can result from overuse (rotator cuff tendonitis) or injury (rotator cuff tear).
Strengthening exercises can help support your shoulder and relieve rotator cuff pain.
Table of contents
You might not think about your rotator cuff until it hurts. But this group of four muscles and their tendons hold the upper arm in place in the shoulder socket. Repeated strain and overuse may cause rotator cuff injuries and pain. Fortunately, exercise can help. Targeted rotator cuff exercises help strengthen your shoulder, reduce pain, and avoid injury.
What are the best rotator cuff exercises for pain relief?
The best rotator cuff exercises for pain relief stabilize your shoulder joint. These include moves that strengthen your rotator cuff and the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blades to support your shoulder.
Internal rotation
This internal rotation exercise strengthens the subscapularis. The subscapularis is a rotator cuff muscle that allows you to rotate your shoulder internally.
Tie a resistance band to a stable support, leaving one end loose. Stand so that your arm is even with the band.
Grab the band with your palm facing up and pull it toward you, rotating your shoulder inward. Keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and your arm tucked at your side. Then, relax.
Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions with each arm.
Search and compare options
External rotation
This exercise strengthens your infraspinatus and teres minor. These two rotator cuff muscles allow your shoulder to rotate externally. They also help stabilize your shoulder joint, especially when you move your arm.
Tie a resistance band to a stable support, leaving one end loose. Stand so that your arm is even with the band.
Grab the band with your palm facing up and pull it away from you, rotating your shoulder outward. Keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and your arm tucked at your side. Then, relax.
Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions with each arm.
Wall slides
Wall slides help you move your shoulder up and down while relieving some pressure from your rotator cuff.
Stand in front of a wall with a small towel or cloth in your left hand.
Use your palm to press the towel or cloth into the wall at waist level. Then, slide your arm up the wall as high as you can.
Slowly slide your arm down to the starting position. Repeat this motion 20 times. You can add on to this exercise by performing 20 clockwise and counterclockwise circles, pressing the towel or cloth into the wall and making circles with your arm to the right and the left.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 with your right arm.
Scapular rows
Scapular rows work the muscles that control your shoulder blades. They help keep your shoulder blades properly aligned, which can reduce pinching of the rotator cuff tendons, a common cause of rotator cuff tendonitis.
Secure a band around a stable support, leaving the two ends loose.
Grab one end in each hand and bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. While maintaining the 90-degree angle, pull your elbows back behind your body.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 5 seconds. Then, relax.
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Shoulder extension
This movement strengthens multiple muscle groups of the arm, rotator cuff, and shoulder blades.
Secure a band around a stable support, leaving the two ends loose.
Grab one end in each hand and straighten your elbows. Keeping your elbows straight, pull your arms down and by your sides.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 5 seconds. Then, relax.
Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
What causes rotator cuff pain?
Rotator cuff pain is caused by damage to and inflammation of the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles. It may result from:
Rotator cuff tendonitis: Tendonitis occurs when the rotator cuff muscles are overworked and do not have enough strength to keep up, which causes inflammation.
Rotator cuff tear: A tear occurs when a tendon of one of the rotator cuff muscles rips away from the humerus (upper arm bone). A rotator cuff tear can result from injury or develop gradually from degeneration, like a fraying rope.
Luckily, the same exercises that help rotator cuff tendonitis work for rotator cuff tears. Whether you have a rotator cuff tear or tendonitis, you can benefit from strengthening your rotator cuff and the nearby shoulder blade muscles, which rehabilitates your shoulder and reduces pain.
The bottom line
The rotator cuff is an important muscle group that stabilizes your shoulder. If you have rotator cuff pain, exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding your shoulders and shoulder blades can help. Maintaining good shoulder strength is important for recovering from injury and keeping your shoulders healthy to prevent future problems.
Why trust our experts?
References
OrthoInfo. (2022). Rotator cuff and shoulder conditioning program.
OrthoInfo. (2022). Rotator cuff tears.
Zhang, M., et al. (2020). Influence of scapula training exercises on shoulder joint function after surgery for rotator cuff injury. Medical Science Monitor.
