I have a client who has a torn rotator cuff but does not need surgery. She did go to physical therapy.
Hi Heidi,
Clients I’ve had with tears and such usually have exercises from their PT’s. I use those exercises and incorporate them into the training. There is still a lot more body to workout. If it’s not prescribed from PT don’t do it. PT Rx is outside our expertise.
Better safe than sorry; play it safe.
Yvette 🙂
Marcum Healthy!
For the most part I agree with the answers given. In addition to the obvious necessity of contact with her physician and/or PT for appropriate clearance, I would suggest that if she performs squats with a barbell, she hold the bar in front, not behind her neck. Holding the bar behind the neck requires significant external shoulder rotation which could be problematic. Also, if her PT concurs, internal and external shoulder rotation with the humerus at 90 degrees of shoulder abduction, using a light to progressively heavier elastic resistance is excellent for training the shoulder rotators.
Good luck, Daniel
Hi Heidi,
Since each case is unique I would keep an open communication with her PT and physician. Her PT would an excellent source of information and reference for you as to the type of movements and exercises she needs to focus more and which ones to avoid. Core and lower body should be fine for her.
Best,
Harris
Hi Heidi,
I am also an ex-shoulder problem person, and even though it’s been many years, I still have to be careful with what I do, particularly how much resistance I use.
The PT exercises are your first line of defense but progression after that really depends on the person and the degree of the injury. With shoulders there is a fine line between too much and too little. While the rotator cuff is often the victim, the cause of the injury (except for trauma) is often faulty posture over time. It is often the entire shoulder girdle that is unstable.
The core exercises I would watch carefully are planks and even something as seemingly as bird dog because they can show you how unstable the shoulder girdle really is.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com