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Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercises

What Makes Up The Rotator Cuff?

Asking the 3 top exercises for the Rotator Cuff can be a bit of a loaded question. For one thing there are 4 different muscles which make up the Rotator Cuff (the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, and the Subscapularis). Another factor is which stage of strength/conditioning the patient is at. Most people will need to start at a lower level with more basic exercises. Also, different authors show slightly different results on EMG testing. Because of this we are going to pick 3 good “core” exercises for the RC.

Best Exercises For Your Rotator Cuff

  • Sidelying ER – shows high activation of the Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, and Supraspinatus in studies measuring EMG activity. Begin with 3 sets of 10 repetitions
  • Prone 90’s (T’s) – shows high activation of the Infraspinatus and Teres Minor in studies measuring EMG activity. Begin with 3 sets of 10 repetitions
  • Prone 120’s (Y’s) – shows high activation of the Supraspinatus as well as other scapular stabilizing muscles in studies measuring EMG activity. Begin with 3 sets of 10 repetitions

For Videos of the exercises, check out our Facebook and Instagram pages. If you struggle with shoulder pain and think you may need a professional opinion, call us and set up an evaluation at one of our 7 locations.

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