Have you often heard trainers in the gym saying you need to strengthen your rotator cuff and actually ever wondered what is our rotator cuff and why is it so important ?
The shoulder joint (the Glenohumeral joint) is a ball and socket design which allows for significant movement in all directions. However, despite this movement capability the shallow socket of the shoulder (the glenoid fossa) means the stability of this joint is compromised.
This is where our rotator cuff comes to save the day!
The rotator cuff is a group of 4 small muscles that attach from the back and the front of scapula (shoulder blade) to the humerus (upper arm bone). These muscles play a fundamental role in supporting the ball in the socket of the shoulder and act as a dynamic stabiliser of the shoulder joint when it moves .
A healthy stable shoulder requires good mobility and strength of rotator cuff muscles and scapular stabilisers. These “deeper” stabilisers must work together with the primary movers of our shoulder (pecs, deltoids, lats) in order to produce efficient and strong movement.
If you have a shoulder injury, have chronic shoulder pain or just want to build stronger, healthier shoulders, rotator cuff strengthening is must!