Out of all of the joints in the human body, the shoulders are the most mobile and responsible for many motions that we perform each day and may even take for granted. There aren’t that many movements that we make during the day that don’t involve the use of our shoulders in at least some capacity which is why it is so important to make sure that you take care to prevent shoulder injuries. It can be quite easy to injure your shoulders and once it happens, these injuries can take a very long time to heal. Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do to prevent these types of injuries and keep your shoulders working properly.
Don’t Raise Laterally More Than 90 Degrees
While shoulder joints are incredibly mobile, they still have their limits. When people do lateral raises that are too high, they are at risk of causing a subacromial impingement which can be quite painful. While there are some trainers that tell their clients that they can do raises to their ear level, this isn’t always the best advice as it goes above 90 degrees.
Strengthen Your External Rotators
One of the most common injuries of the shoulders is a subacromial impingement. When rotating your shoulder internally, this type of injury will cause a lot of pain and this motion is quite common in many of the actions that we do such as throwing a ball. You can decrease your chances of this type of injury by strengthening your shoulders, in particular, the external rotators. Instead of using typical weights for this type of exercise, resistant bands and cables are the best options when working out your shoulders to avoid injuries.
Do Your Rowing Properly
Rows are a popular type of workout when it comes to your shoulders, but it’s fairly easy to do them incorrectly and injure yourself. This is why when doing an upright row. you need to make sure that you never bring your elbows above the height of your shoulders. Another suggestion is to replace the risky workout with another exercise that works out the same muscle groups such as a high pull. High pulls work out most of the same muscles and more with less risk of injury.
Remember Your Posture
Good posture is important for a lot of different reasons and can have a much bigger impact on your health than you may have ever known. Not only does standing up straight make you look taller, but it is also very important in making sure that your shoulders stay healthy. Good posture is important to maintain throughout your entire day and especially during workouts. The chances of getting an injury from working out increase substantially if your posture is not proper. It’s a key to good exercise and is especially important when it comes to workouts involving your shoulders and upper body. By keeping your body stable through good posture, you are keeping your shoulders safe.
