Have you been told you have a rotator cuff injury? You’re definitely not alone. The complex structure of the shoulder girdle makes it prone to injury.
The good news is that physical therapy is an amazingly effective way to address rotator cuff injuries.
But if you want to add another level to your healing, you should strongly consider the benefits of Pilates-based physical therapy for rotator cuff injuries.
The Complicated Anatomy of Your Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff is a grouping of muscles that are responsible for almost all movement in the shoulder girdle. They also provide the shoulder girdle with needed stability.
The shoulder girdle is the bony structure comprised of your collarbone and the shoulder blades that connects the upper limbs to the bones of the head and torso. In other words, it serves as an attachment point for certain muscles that contribute to arm and shoulder movement and provides stability and support for them.
The muscles that make up the rotator cuff include the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. They serve a big role in lifting the arm out to the side. They also work to stabilize the humeral head, which is the ball-shaped end of the humerus bone that forms the shoulder joint, when the arm is in that position. Keeping the head of the humerus in the correct position is important because it keeps the shoulders from rounding.
When you have a rotator cuff injury, you may be less interested in an anatomy lesson though and more curious about how it happened.
What Causes a Rotator Cuff Injury?
Many people with a rotator cuff injury may have no clue how they got it. They just start to experience pain on the front tip of the shoulder when trying to reach behind their back or overhead. There’s often a noticeable loss of range of motion and possibly pain when trying to sleep on that side. Another symptom of a rotator cuff injury is muscle weakness in the shoulder.
One of the biggest culprits of a rotator cuff injury is poor posture. With so many of us hanging our heads over our devices, we’ve developed a forward head posture (tech neck), rounded shoulders, and other faulty shoulder and back alignment issues that can strain the shoulder joint over time.
In some cases, however, a rotator cuff injury can be the result of repeatedly lifting heavy objects or repetitive stress when playing a sport or other activity.
The key to recovery is stabilizing and strengthening the rotator cuff back to its optimal level. And this can be achieved with Pilates-based physical therapy.
Working with a Pilates-Based Physical Therapist
When you employ Pilates-based physical therapy for rotator cuff injuries, you learn to effectively and correctly use the muscles that make up the rotator cuff. Doing so reduces stress on both the rotator cuff and the shoulder joint.
Each person’s therapeutic program is different. But a PIlates-based physical therapist will focus on external rotation, scapular isolations, chest expansions, back body work, and movements that stress proprioception (knowing where you are in space).
He or she will ensure you are working in the scapular plane with decreased shoulder elevation and will modify your range of motion to ensure pain-free movement. Resistance will be decreased and progressed when you can perform these exercises correctly and without pain.
The Benefit of Pilates-Based Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Injuries
Blending Pilates and physical therapy is just common sense when working with rotator cuff injuries. After all, a primary focus of Pilates is to improve core stability with exercises that target deep abdominal and back muscles. A strong core directly translates to enhanced shoulder stability.
Another goal in healing a rotator cuff injury is to increase range of motion. The gentle stretching and mindful movements inspired by Pilates in this kind of physical therapy offer a slow and safe way to regain flexibility and function without strain or stress.
Finally, the exercises in Pilates-based physical therapy encourage working both the major muscles as well as the smaller muscles that stabilize and surround the shoulder joint. In strengthening these muscles, the load on the shoulder is more evenly distributed to enhance overall function.
Does Pilates-Based Physical Therapy Sound Good to You?
If you live in Southeastern Michigan and are considering Pilates-based physical therapy for rotator cuff injuries, you’re in luck.
Our Southfield facility offers top-notch Pilates-based physical therapy with skilled therapists. There’s also a wide variety of Pilates classes you can take with our highly trained instructors.
So if you’re ready to see what Pilates-based physical therapy could do for you, contact us today. We look forward to speaking with you!