The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. As it allows you to make a multitude of movements, it is one of the parts most vulnerable to injury They usually take a long time to heal. Poor shoulder stability It is due to the rotator cuff muscles which cause damage with their movement. In reality, there are few exercises you do while training that do not involve shoulder movement. Despite this, there are some ways to keep them healthy. Here we are going to describe you The most common shoulder injuries and how we can avoid them.
Most common shoulder injuries
One of the most common shoulder injuries is rotator cuff involvement.. This is a muscle complex that has the function of providing stability to the shoulder joint and allowing its rotation. The rotator cuff is made up of the infraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major, and teres minor muscles. They are the muscles responsible for activating the rotation internal and external shoulder.
Pathology of the rotator cuff muscles is the most common cause of shoulder injuries and pain. The rotator cuff can cause tendinitis, calcifications, and tears. Like any shoulder injury, rotator cuff pathology can be avoided. We are going to describe the cause that generates it. There are all types of common injuries not associated with the shoulders, but we always recommend knowing about them to avoid them and be prepared for possible problems.
Why do shoulder injuries occur?
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome is the leading cause of rotator cuff injuries. This pathology is caused by the compression and friction that the rotator cuff suffers on the upper end of the humerus, the acromion, and the tendon of the long head of the biceps. The moment you do an abduction or forced anterior flexion, raising the arm above the neck the syndrome will begin and you will notice pain and a loss of strength in the shoulder. If the pain continues, your muscle tendons will weaken.
A complete tear of the rotator cuff requires significant trauma, which sometimes occurs in athletes. Breaks are accompanied by pain and the inability to raise the arm.
Rotator cuff tendonitis
When subacromial impingement occurs, One of the secondary injuries of the shoulder is rotator cuff tendinitis. It mainly affects the supraspinatus tendon. Supraspinatus tendonitis is the most common non-traumatic cause of shoulder pain.
Acute tendonitis You will suffer from it if you are young and exercise repeatedly. Normally, it is associated with a subacromial impingement in an initial phase.
In chronic tendinitis which you will suffer as a consequence of the repetition of sports exercises, you will notice localized pain on the anterior and lateral aspect of the shoulder and it may radiate to the deltoid and trapezius worsening at night. The most common shoulder injury corresponds to phase II of subacromial impingement syndrome.
In the critical phase, the calcific tendinitis is caused by deposits of calcium crystals. The shoulder injury may be caused by a metabolic disorder or a degenerative tendinitis process. The pain you will have in your shoulder will be intense.
How to avoid the most common shoulder injuries
As we have commented, One of the most common shoulder injuries is subacromial impingement. characterized by pain during internal rotation. However, there are some techniques to avoid shoulder injuries.
1. Strengthen the external rotators
Pain during internal rotation, which you will feel when throwing a ball, for example, can be avoided by strengthening the rotators. Thus, the chances of shock and pain are reduced.
2. Avoid lateral increases above 90 degrees
If you do lateral raises too high, you are at risk of suffering a common shoulder injury. When abducting your arms or raising them to the side, watch and try to externally rotate your shoulders to avoid collision.
3. The vertical row
The vertical row is also associated with impingement syndrome. The exercise is suitable for achieving a safe and fit shoulder. But if you do it incorrectly, putting your elbows above your shoulders, the pain will appear.
4. Stable shoulders
In training in which you practice rotation exercises, it is essential to maintain a stable position to avoid shoulder injuries due to falls.
5. Slow down
The negative action of the muscles damages the tissues. Therefore, in the lowering phase of the lifts, decrease the speed to obtain increases in size, strength, and stability. This way, you will reduce and avoid the risk of shoulder injuries.
6. Stretches
Active stretching is a tool that will allow you to maintain mobility. The stretch will prevent you from suffering from any of the most common shoulder injuries. You should do it after exercising so you don’t lose mobility and so that your body remains flexible and aligned.
Exercises to avoid shoulder injuries
One of the most common shoulder injuries is traumatic dislocation, although it cannot be prevented, you have tools to avoid it. Strengthening exercises are intended for anterior stability and focus on the subscapularis and serratus anterior muscles. These are some:
- dynamic hug. Lean your back against the wall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Flex your shoulders horizontally (as if you were giving a hug) and continue the movement until the hands join in front of the body.
- Push-ups with an extra. Get into a position to do push-ups with your hands shoulder-width apart. Then, bend your elbows and lower your chest until it touches the floor. Return to the starting position and bring out the scapulae so that the trunk rises.
Whether or not you have shoulder pain, the techniques and methods that we have presented to you will help you avoid the risk of the most common injuries and get stronger after doing hard and complicated exercises. How about you start trying them?
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