Your shoulder is a complex joint which can easily be damaged.
The rotator cuff comprises tendons and four muscles, all which work together to keep the joint stable and working efficiently.
When it is working properly the shoulder has a tremendous flexibility.
But, as is often the case with complex mechanics, it is easy for something to go wrong.
Repetitive lifting of your arm above your head can often cause damage and for this reason, a rotator cuff weight lifting injury is quite a common problem if you spend a lot of your time in the gym.
The rotator cuff is specifically the cuff made up by the tendons which are wrapped around the ball end of the humerus (long bone in the upper arm) where it lies in the socket of the scapula (the shoulder blade).
A rotator cuff injury is a term which covers any inflammation or damage to any of the muscles or tendons.
If you are a weight lifter and are experiencing pain and tenderness in your shoulder, particularly when you raise your arm, you may have sustained a rotator cuff weight lifting injury and you should immediately cease any training which causes you pain.
You may feel that your shoulder is weaker than usual and it could also be uncomfortable if you lie on that side in bed.
Often the pain is greater as you move your arm away from the body.
A rotator cuff weight lifting injury is a typical sports injury associated with weights.
It may be aggravated and brought on by an imbalance in the building of the muscles of the shoulder area.
There are four muscles which are responsible for keeping the ball and socket joint functional; infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.
If these muscles are not worked to an equal degree you will experience an imbalance in their working abilities and this could easily lead to problems in the area.
This is why it is important to follow a strict training program which has been devised by an experienced instructor.
If you are suffering from pain in your shoulder to the degree whereby you are unable to continue training in your usual program and you feel that you may have suffered a rotator cuff weight lifting injury, you should seek medical advice for a diagnosis.
If this is confirmed as being the problem then you should initially rest your shoulder and refrain from any movement which causes pain.
You cannot work through the pain to help the problem.
Ice packs may well help and then some gentle strengthening exercises, but again, do nothing which aggravates the pain.
Check with your specialist first, but usually some over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines will help.
If the situation cannot be helped by rest and then gentle exercise, it may that you will need to undergo surgery to repair the damaged tendons.
Pain is usually your body's way of telling you that something is not right and if you listen to your body you may be able to avoid a rotator cuff weight lifting injury becoming so bad that it requires surgery.
Do not try and work through a shoulder pain that recurs and does not improve.
Rest it until it is well again.
That way you may be able to avoid a long and frustrating recovery period.
Also, remember to follow an exercise program that ensures equal work to all the muscles of the area.
The rotator cuff comprises tendons and four muscles, all which work together to keep the joint stable and working efficiently.
When it is working properly the shoulder has a tremendous flexibility.
But, as is often the case with complex mechanics, it is easy for something to go wrong.
Repetitive lifting of your arm above your head can often cause damage and for this reason, a rotator cuff weight lifting injury is quite a common problem if you spend a lot of your time in the gym.
The rotator cuff is specifically the cuff made up by the tendons which are wrapped around the ball end of the humerus (long bone in the upper arm) where it lies in the socket of the scapula (the shoulder blade).
A rotator cuff injury is a term which covers any inflammation or damage to any of the muscles or tendons.
If you are a weight lifter and are experiencing pain and tenderness in your shoulder, particularly when you raise your arm, you may have sustained a rotator cuff weight lifting injury and you should immediately cease any training which causes you pain.
You may feel that your shoulder is weaker than usual and it could also be uncomfortable if you lie on that side in bed.
Often the pain is greater as you move your arm away from the body.
A rotator cuff weight lifting injury is a typical sports injury associated with weights.
It may be aggravated and brought on by an imbalance in the building of the muscles of the shoulder area.
There are four muscles which are responsible for keeping the ball and socket joint functional; infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.
If these muscles are not worked to an equal degree you will experience an imbalance in their working abilities and this could easily lead to problems in the area.
This is why it is important to follow a strict training program which has been devised by an experienced instructor.
If you are suffering from pain in your shoulder to the degree whereby you are unable to continue training in your usual program and you feel that you may have suffered a rotator cuff weight lifting injury, you should seek medical advice for a diagnosis.
If this is confirmed as being the problem then you should initially rest your shoulder and refrain from any movement which causes pain.
You cannot work through the pain to help the problem.
Ice packs may well help and then some gentle strengthening exercises, but again, do nothing which aggravates the pain.
Check with your specialist first, but usually some over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines will help.
If the situation cannot be helped by rest and then gentle exercise, it may that you will need to undergo surgery to repair the damaged tendons.
Pain is usually your body's way of telling you that something is not right and if you listen to your body you may be able to avoid a rotator cuff weight lifting injury becoming so bad that it requires surgery.
Do not try and work through a shoulder pain that recurs and does not improve.
Rest it until it is well again.
That way you may be able to avoid a long and frustrating recovery period.
Also, remember to follow an exercise program that ensures equal work to all the muscles of the area.
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