I don't care how strong are or how many years you have been lifting weight. If you lift heavy and do not employ sound technique doing the movements you will eventually get a shoulder injury,Rotary Cuff its just the nature of the game.
The sad thing about working shoulders for bodybuilders, is the very exercises that can cause the most injury work the best for building muscle. This means that many bodybuilders are torn ( no pun intended) between great results and the possibility of injury. For many especially the younger lifters the idea of large full muscle outweigh the probability of Rotary Cuff .
The two most common things that lifters do while exercising that can cause injury to their joints and muscles are; performing an un-natural stretch during and movement and the second is putting a joint in an un-natural position. Notice the word un-natural is the focus here.
When a movement seems to hurt or feel weird while doing it, even if you are using no weight at all then that is an indicator that you should not be doing that movement. Our body for the most part knows what is right for us even better than we do.
Now I want to make sure you understand the different between a difficult movement and an un-natural movement. Heavy Squats are difficult behind the neck shoulder presses are un-natural! Let me expand on this for a moment. Sit in a chair with your palms facing down on your knees. Now while keeping your elbows at your side rotates your forearms up and rearward so that your palms are facing forward and the back of your hand backward. Now continue to rotate your palms rearward until the palms are facing slightly up and are position behind your shoulders. Think about how that feels, because that un-natural position is the correct position for doing behind the neck shoulder presses.
So now that understand what an unnatural position feels like lets address the main four culprits of shoulder injury. Ok here are the bad guys;
The first is the dumbbell fly
By keeping the elbows straight and over stretching at the bottom of the movement you are putting you shoulder in an un-natural position and possibly causing torn Rotary Cuff .
The correct way to do this movement is to bend at the elbow, like your hugging a fat girl ( what? Fat Girls need loving too) and remember to bring arms down only to the point where the elbow is level with the center of your rib cage.
The behind the neck shoulder press
This feels un-natural don't it? That because in order to get enough range of motion to grow you have to put your shoulder in a compromising position for injury
The correct way is to drop this exercise all together, and replace it with front of neck shoulder presses. When doing shoulder presses to the front push all the way up just before lock out and come down only until the elbows are slightly below parallel with the floor. For most people that puts the bar just at eye level at the bottom of the movement. Any more can cause lower back problems.
The Lat pull down to the back of the neck
This is one that I only see women do for some reason. Once again it don't even feel natural, does it?
The correct way to do this is to arch your lower back ever so slightly, and using a shoulder width or less grip pull the bar down until it touches the bottom of your chest (pec). I see guys in the gym come only down until it is eye level; I really believe that either way is correct. However the lats will get a better contraction when the bar touches the chest!
The last exercise is the pull up
This particular exercise has two different incorrect variations. The first is to pull to the back of the neck. I think I stressed the problem with any exercise going to the back of the neck already.Rotary Cuff
The second incorrect variation to the pull up is to select too wide a grip. For some reason many people believe that the wider the grip the wider the back muscles. I don't have time to go into the function of the muscles, but understand, if you want to build a big wide back you are more likely to do so with narrow and medium grip pull ups then you will with wide.
The correct way to this is to either grip the bar with a shoulder width grip and pull you body up until the chest meet the bar, or use a "V-Bar" or chinning triangle over the pull-up bar and pull upward until your chest touches the chinning triangle.Rotary Cuff Injury
If you have never had any shoulder problems this will help you avoid them altogether. If you've had them (shoulder injuries) in the past following these simple changes will avoid future injury, and help you to get the most out of your workouts.Rotary Cuff Injury
About Author
With over 25 years of bodybuilding experience. 15 years as a competitive bodybuilder 15 years as a personal trainer and 10 years as a trainer of competitive bodybuilders. You can tap into the years of experience of this bodybuilding savant at http://www.Fire-Iron-Online.com
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Rotary Cuff Injury in Sportsmen in India
The shoulder joint is one of the five major areas of the body involved in sports injuries. Sportsmen who over use the shoulder in throwing or overhead activities as in cricket bowlers, volleyball, Javelin throw, after a fall, gymnasts are all at risk of developing shoulder injuries. It can be injured to falls on the arm or due to traction as in some contact sports like rugby. In this article I shall discuss the various types of injuries of the shoulder and its neighboring structures.
I present salient feature of its anatomy for a better understanding of the various injuries.
Anatomy
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body, yet is the most insecure. It is a ball and socket joint formed by the upper end of the arm bone (humerus) joining with the shoulder blade (scapula). It is surrounded by a bag like tissue called the capsule. A group of tendons called the rotator cuff are closely related to the shoulder. They serve as dynamic restraints. There is a discrepancy between the radius of curvature of the ball and its socket which renders the shoulder potentially unstable. This is akin to a golf ball perched on a tee. This inherently unstable joint is rendered stable by soft tissue restraints, the bony orientation and a negative suction force between the components. A great deal of movement is possible at the shoulder to allow the arm to be positioned in space.
The price for this great range of movement is instability which is described below. Closely related to the joint are important nerves and blood vessels of the upper limb in their course downwards from the chest to the arm.
Types of shoulder injuries
1)Instability-
Shane Warne's shoulder dislocation a couple of years is one of the most famous in recent memory. The ball shaped upper end of the arm bone slides pops out of its socket either completely (dislocation) or partially (subluxation). This occurs in sports when there is a fall on the outstretched hand. A frank dislocation results and sudden pain is felt when the ball comes out of joint. It predominantly comes out at the front. The arm held as if it is paralyzed, until it is set right by the player or in a hospital. This is a dramatic event. Once the shoulder has dislocated, there is a tendency for it to recurrently dislocate in young sportsmen less than 25 years of age. This tendency for recurrent dislocation merits rehabilitation and surgical treatment.
Arthroscopic stabilization
offers these sportsmen a minimally invasive surgical technique. The results of this mode of surgery are matching the old "gold standard" of Open stabilization. Rehabilitation is faster after an arthroscopic procedure as the amount of pain is less. It is important to bear in mind that instability need not necessarily result only from a fall. It can also occur in sportsmen who use their arm to throw in overhead sports like cricket, Javelin, volley ball. In these sportsmen, the joint may not dislocate frankly but there is a dead arm feeling or pain. The fielder in cricket, who suffers from pain and has to throw the ball in from the boundary in an overhead manner, avoids this and instead throws it in underarm.
Instability commonly occurs in a front ward direction but can occur to the back or in more than one direction (multi directional). These are less common. Instability towards the front and back needs surgical stabilization by preferably, arthroscopic means. However multidirectional instability (in more than one direction) is best treated by a rehabilitation process.
2) Tendonitis and impingement-
Tendonitis refers to an inflammation of tendons surrounding the shoulder. The rotator cuff or the biceps tendons can get inflamed due to overload/fatigue, trauma and age related degenerative changes. Swelling and crowding of the tendons underneath the bony arch can lead to a condition called impingement. In this condition, pain is felt during overhead activities. Night pain is present in advanced cases by lying on the affected shoulder.
Impingement is a phenomenon in which the rotator cuff (group of tendons) rubs against the undersurface of the bony acromion (crow like) projection of the shoulder blade. Tendons which are weakened by tears do not function efficiently to stabilize the arm bone which migrates upwards to squeeze the already damaged tendons under the overhead bony arch. It can be due to weakness of the rotator cuff as above or be due to instability. In instability the stretching of the capsule permits the ball to migrate upward once again causing impingement. Differentiation between instability and impingement can be difficult and clinical acumen is needed. Internal impingement occurs in baseball pitchers as in the picture where the arm is cocked back for throwing.
3) Rotator cuff tears -
In the young patient tears of the rotator cuff are due to trauma. In the older person, tears are due to degeneration like grey hair. Tears result in weakness and pain during overhead activities. Usually these tears have poor capacity to heal spontaneously and need to be repaired particularly in the young sportsman. In the older patient a trial of conservative treatment with analgesics and one or two cortico-steroid injections may be useful before embarking on surgery.
4) Acromio - clavicular joint injuries-
This joint is formed at the outer end of the collar bone as it joins the shoulder blade. Dislocation results after a fall on the shoulder. It leads to a separation of the collar bone from the shoulder blade and upward prominence of the collar bone. Pain and deformity result. While the minor varieties can be treated conservatively, surgery is necessary for the major types.
5) Labral tears-
The labrum is a circular band of cartilage attached to the glenoid cavity (socket) to make it deeper. It can be torn in sportsmen who use the arm for throwing, serving, smashing; swimming etc. Pain is felt toward the front of the shoulder. The other symptoms may be clicking or locking. There may be associated instability, rotator cuff partial tears. Arthroscopic surgery is the only option. All associated abnormalities should be addressed simultaneously.
6) Muscle ruptures-
These occur due to their sudden contraction against an unexpected resistance. The common muscles ruptured are the Pectoralis major which is located at the front wall of the arm pit and the biceps.
7) Nerve injuries-
They may be associated with a shoulder dislocation, or may occur due to traction on the brachial plexus, leading to complete or partial paralysis of the upper extremity. Brachial plexus injuries in most cases are temporary injuries, however may need investigation by an electromyogram.
Diagnosis and management of shoulder injuries in sportsmen is best done by an Orthopaedic surgeon treating these problems and exposed to arthroscopic surgery. A physiotherapist, rehabilitation expert and sports psychologist also have their important role to play to rehabilitate these sportspersons and make them return to competitive sport. Such skilled manpower and equipment exists in India and vast amounts of money need not be spent on overseas treatment.
Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam, MS, DNB, FRCS (UK), MCh. (Liverpool)has worked with leading Shoulder surgeons in the UK, Belgium and Dubai earlier. He is affiliated to Bharathiraja & Prashanth hospitals.
Recovery from shoulder surgery is no longer a painful ordeal as expert anesthetists provide effective anesthesia and pain relief to inpatients. There are well qualified physiotherapists to help you recover quickly from surgery.
Our track record
We have had the pleasure of treating patients from the USA & UK recently for shoulder problems. Please visit my shoulder surgery blog at http://shouldersurgeonindia.blogspot.com
I present salient feature of its anatomy for a better understanding of the various injuries.
Anatomy
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body, yet is the most insecure. It is a ball and socket joint formed by the upper end of the arm bone (humerus) joining with the shoulder blade (scapula). It is surrounded by a bag like tissue called the capsule. A group of tendons called the rotator cuff are closely related to the shoulder. They serve as dynamic restraints. There is a discrepancy between the radius of curvature of the ball and its socket which renders the shoulder potentially unstable. This is akin to a golf ball perched on a tee. This inherently unstable joint is rendered stable by soft tissue restraints, the bony orientation and a negative suction force between the components. A great deal of movement is possible at the shoulder to allow the arm to be positioned in space.
The price for this great range of movement is instability which is described below. Closely related to the joint are important nerves and blood vessels of the upper limb in their course downwards from the chest to the arm.
Types of shoulder injuries
1)Instability-
Shane Warne's shoulder dislocation a couple of years is one of the most famous in recent memory. The ball shaped upper end of the arm bone slides pops out of its socket either completely (dislocation) or partially (subluxation). This occurs in sports when there is a fall on the outstretched hand. A frank dislocation results and sudden pain is felt when the ball comes out of joint. It predominantly comes out at the front. The arm held as if it is paralyzed, until it is set right by the player or in a hospital. This is a dramatic event. Once the shoulder has dislocated, there is a tendency for it to recurrently dislocate in young sportsmen less than 25 years of age. This tendency for recurrent dislocation merits rehabilitation and surgical treatment.
Arthroscopic stabilization
offers these sportsmen a minimally invasive surgical technique. The results of this mode of surgery are matching the old "gold standard" of Open stabilization. Rehabilitation is faster after an arthroscopic procedure as the amount of pain is less. It is important to bear in mind that instability need not necessarily result only from a fall. It can also occur in sportsmen who use their arm to throw in overhead sports like cricket, Javelin, volley ball. In these sportsmen, the joint may not dislocate frankly but there is a dead arm feeling or pain. The fielder in cricket, who suffers from pain and has to throw the ball in from the boundary in an overhead manner, avoids this and instead throws it in underarm.
Instability commonly occurs in a front ward direction but can occur to the back or in more than one direction (multi directional). These are less common. Instability towards the front and back needs surgical stabilization by preferably, arthroscopic means. However multidirectional instability (in more than one direction) is best treated by a rehabilitation process.
2) Tendonitis and impingement-
Tendonitis refers to an inflammation of tendons surrounding the shoulder. The rotator cuff or the biceps tendons can get inflamed due to overload/fatigue, trauma and age related degenerative changes. Swelling and crowding of the tendons underneath the bony arch can lead to a condition called impingement. In this condition, pain is felt during overhead activities. Night pain is present in advanced cases by lying on the affected shoulder.
Impingement is a phenomenon in which the rotator cuff (group of tendons) rubs against the undersurface of the bony acromion (crow like) projection of the shoulder blade. Tendons which are weakened by tears do not function efficiently to stabilize the arm bone which migrates upwards to squeeze the already damaged tendons under the overhead bony arch. It can be due to weakness of the rotator cuff as above or be due to instability. In instability the stretching of the capsule permits the ball to migrate upward once again causing impingement. Differentiation between instability and impingement can be difficult and clinical acumen is needed. Internal impingement occurs in baseball pitchers as in the picture where the arm is cocked back for throwing.
3) Rotator cuff tears -
In the young patient tears of the rotator cuff are due to trauma. In the older person, tears are due to degeneration like grey hair. Tears result in weakness and pain during overhead activities. Usually these tears have poor capacity to heal spontaneously and need to be repaired particularly in the young sportsman. In the older patient a trial of conservative treatment with analgesics and one or two cortico-steroid injections may be useful before embarking on surgery.
4) Acromio - clavicular joint injuries-
This joint is formed at the outer end of the collar bone as it joins the shoulder blade. Dislocation results after a fall on the shoulder. It leads to a separation of the collar bone from the shoulder blade and upward prominence of the collar bone. Pain and deformity result. While the minor varieties can be treated conservatively, surgery is necessary for the major types.
5) Labral tears-
The labrum is a circular band of cartilage attached to the glenoid cavity (socket) to make it deeper. It can be torn in sportsmen who use the arm for throwing, serving, smashing; swimming etc. Pain is felt toward the front of the shoulder. The other symptoms may be clicking or locking. There may be associated instability, rotator cuff partial tears. Arthroscopic surgery is the only option. All associated abnormalities should be addressed simultaneously.
6) Muscle ruptures-
These occur due to their sudden contraction against an unexpected resistance. The common muscles ruptured are the Pectoralis major which is located at the front wall of the arm pit and the biceps.
7) Nerve injuries-
They may be associated with a shoulder dislocation, or may occur due to traction on the brachial plexus, leading to complete or partial paralysis of the upper extremity. Brachial plexus injuries in most cases are temporary injuries, however may need investigation by an electromyogram.
Diagnosis and management of shoulder injuries in sportsmen is best done by an Orthopaedic surgeon treating these problems and exposed to arthroscopic surgery. A physiotherapist, rehabilitation expert and sports psychologist also have their important role to play to rehabilitate these sportspersons and make them return to competitive sport. Such skilled manpower and equipment exists in India and vast amounts of money need not be spent on overseas treatment.
Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam, MS, DNB, FRCS (UK), MCh. (Liverpool)has worked with leading Shoulder surgeons in the UK, Belgium and Dubai earlier. He is affiliated to Bharathiraja & Prashanth hospitals.
Recovery from shoulder surgery is no longer a painful ordeal as expert anesthetists provide effective anesthesia and pain relief to inpatients. There are well qualified physiotherapists to help you recover quickly from surgery.
Our track record
We have had the pleasure of treating patients from the USA & UK recently for shoulder problems. Please visit my shoulder surgery blog at http://shouldersurgeonindia.blogspot.com
High School Sports Injuries - Rotary Cuff Injury
A high school athlete should never shrug off a shoulder injury. The shoulder is one of the most important joints on the body. Athletes need the shoulder to throw a ball or other object, block an opponent, maintain their balance, and so on. Unfortunately, all of these activities can result in a variety of shoulder injuries, ranging from slight to major. The key is to recognize such injuries, treat them properly, and to the best of a high school athlete's ability-prevent them.
What makes the shoulder joint special? One of its main features is that there's less bone-to-bone contact within the shoulder joint, than with other joints in the human body. What does that mean? There's a greater dependence on muscle, cartilage, and so on, in reducing the impact of stress on the joint's motion. And that means that there's a greater risk of soft tissue becoming damaged. The shoulder's bones include the humerus, the shoulder blade, and the collarbone. Arguably, the breastbone should also be included as a shoulder bone. Essentially the shoulder consists of four different joints that function as one unit.
Different causes of shoulder injuries exist. One is an overhead motion. This involves the athlete's hand and forearm being stretched as far as possible from the body. Another major cause of shoulder injuries in high school athletes is repetitive movement. This can result in injuries such as rotator cuff injury, tendinitis, and over time--osteoarthritis. Another shoulder injury involves a shoulder being struck, such as via a shock or a fall.
A rotator cuff injury is particularly common in high school sports, which it occurring most frequently among baseball pitchers. Other common athletes who experience it include golfers, swimmers, and football quarterbacks. Shoulder injuries can also include a dislocated shoulder, a separated shoulder, and the most common shoulder fracture: fractured collarbone.
One of the most crucial steps to take after suffering from an acute shoulder injury is to rest the shoulder. And if certain movements are causing the pain, the high school athlete should cease those movements immediately! Within the first three days after suffering the injury, the athlete should ice the shoulder for 20 minutes, on multiple occasions throughout the day.
Then he or she should seek assistance from a physical therapist. Within time, the athlete should start doing some basic motions needed in the sport, at a gradual pace. More severe shoulder injuries will require one or more operations. These operations can be quite complex (and pricey), so an athlete should first consult his or her physician before undergoing an operation.
The good news is that you can take steps to reduce your likelihood of suffering from shoulder injuries. For instance, you can increase the strength and flexibility of your upper body. Also, when using your upper body to perform certain movements in your support, make sure to use the correct body mechanics. That will not only help to prevent shoulder injuries, but will also improve the quality of your game! And finally, always perform stretches and warm-ups before a practice session, game, or match.
Another informative article written by Richard Pagano and sponsored by an online resource featuring great deals on a gas powered pressure washer or a pressure washer hose reel.
What makes the shoulder joint special? One of its main features is that there's less bone-to-bone contact within the shoulder joint, than with other joints in the human body. What does that mean? There's a greater dependence on muscle, cartilage, and so on, in reducing the impact of stress on the joint's motion. And that means that there's a greater risk of soft tissue becoming damaged. The shoulder's bones include the humerus, the shoulder blade, and the collarbone. Arguably, the breastbone should also be included as a shoulder bone. Essentially the shoulder consists of four different joints that function as one unit.
Different causes of shoulder injuries exist. One is an overhead motion. This involves the athlete's hand and forearm being stretched as far as possible from the body. Another major cause of shoulder injuries in high school athletes is repetitive movement. This can result in injuries such as rotator cuff injury, tendinitis, and over time--osteoarthritis. Another shoulder injury involves a shoulder being struck, such as via a shock or a fall.
A rotator cuff injury is particularly common in high school sports, which it occurring most frequently among baseball pitchers. Other common athletes who experience it include golfers, swimmers, and football quarterbacks. Shoulder injuries can also include a dislocated shoulder, a separated shoulder, and the most common shoulder fracture: fractured collarbone.
One of the most crucial steps to take after suffering from an acute shoulder injury is to rest the shoulder. And if certain movements are causing the pain, the high school athlete should cease those movements immediately! Within the first three days after suffering the injury, the athlete should ice the shoulder for 20 minutes, on multiple occasions throughout the day.
Then he or she should seek assistance from a physical therapist. Within time, the athlete should start doing some basic motions needed in the sport, at a gradual pace. More severe shoulder injuries will require one or more operations. These operations can be quite complex (and pricey), so an athlete should first consult his or her physician before undergoing an operation.
The good news is that you can take steps to reduce your likelihood of suffering from shoulder injuries. For instance, you can increase the strength and flexibility of your upper body. Also, when using your upper body to perform certain movements in your support, make sure to use the correct body mechanics. That will not only help to prevent shoulder injuries, but will also improve the quality of your game! And finally, always perform stretches and warm-ups before a practice session, game, or match.
Another informative article written by Richard Pagano and sponsored by an online resource featuring great deals on a gas powered pressure washer or a pressure washer hose reel.
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