How to Prevent Rotator Cuff Tendinitis
The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and ligaments that surround the joint of the shoulder. When these tissues become inflamed and painful, it’s likely a sign of rotator cuff tendinitis.
With sports or activities, it’s easy to push past our breaking points in the hopes of reaching our goals. We go, go, go and don’t stop to think about what repercussions that may have on our athletic performance and health. Often times, we’ll overwork our bodies and not give them the tools they need to rebuild.
What are the Causes of Rotator Cuff Tendinitis?
One of the main causes of rotator cuff tendinitis is excessive use of the shoulder with little to no recovery. Typically, repetitive overhead motions are the culprit. Microtears form and when they aren’t able to heal, they continue to break down and become worse. This is when inflammation and pain become a factor.
Prevention Tips
Since rotator cuff tendinitis is typically related to overuse, the good news is that prevention is possible. Recovering from an injury can be expensive and time consuming. Taking preventative measures is cheaper and more efficient in the long run. At the first sign of overuse, make sure to do all you can to prevent injuries from setting in.
1. Gradually Strengthen & Condition
Properly conditioned muscles can handle more work before they break down, meaning overuse then becomes less of an issue. While doing strengthening and conditioning exercises, just be sure not to do too much too soon. The key is to gradually build up and develop strength.
2. Warm Up
Getting your shoulder warmed up is an important component to injury prevention. Spending time to warm up brings blood to your muscles and joints so they can move more efficiently. Raising your body’s temperature helps muscles activate easier so you can perform tasks that are harder with less stress. Also, it allows for better range of motion so your body can move with proper mechanics.
3. Active Recovery
Active recovery is one of the most effective methods for keeping your body healthy. By participating in light movement (ie. walk, swim, jog), you can facilitate each stage of the body’s natural recovery process. No other method impacts recovery the same way. To be considered “recovery”, the movement needs to be low stress and shouldn’t cause any additional fatigue.
Strenuous or repetitive activity creates microtears in your muscle tissue. After such exertion, your body needs time to repair itself. When you allow your body to recover in between workouts you can help ensure overuse doesn’t become a problem. When you don’t recover properly, these microtears continue to break down and become worse – leading to overuse injuries like rotator cuff tendinitis.
That’s why many athletes use a Marc Pro device for active recovery. With Marc Pro you get non-fatiguing active recovery that’s convenient and easy to use.
The Marc Pro shoulder pad placement is a great way to target overuse in the shoulder. Simply place the pads as shown and turn the intensity up. As long as the area is contracting, benefits are being delivered.
