Most people know the shoulder joint is complex and can be susceptible to injury. However, few know that the supraspinatus muscle is one of the most important muscles in the shoulder. It's responsible for many actions we take for granted, such as moving our arms up and down and rotating them internally or externally. If this muscle is weak or injured, it can lead to problems such as shoulder impingement syndrome (also known as rotator cuff tendinitis). A study published in Orthopaedic Review found that nearly 70% of patients surveyed were unable to perform certain tasks because they could not raise their arms above shoulder level due to supraspinatus weakness. So what can you do? Strengthen your supraspinatus muscles by performing these exercises:
Single-arm internal and external rotation
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Grab a towel in one hand, and place it over your shoulder so that the ends of the towel hang down in front of you.
- Keeping your elbow close to your body, slowly rotate your arm in a circle until you've gone all the way around (like stirring a pot of soup). Do this exercise 10 times on each side.
Push up with rotation exercises.
The push-up with rotation exercise is a great way to strengthen the supraspinatus muscles, which help lift and rotate your arm.
To do this exercise:
- Assume a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and glutes to stabilize your body as you lower yourself toward the floor until both forearms are in contact with it (A). Make sure not to let either elbow flare out or sag in toward the opposite knee--keep them parallel to each other throughout!
YTWL (Y, T, W, L)
The YTWL (Y, T, W, L) exercise is a great way to strengthen your supraspinatus muscles. The YTWL stands for shoulder flexion, external shoulder rotation, shoulder abduction, and shoulder extension.
Do these exercises in a circuit with no rest between each move. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions and rest for 1 minute between sets.
Shoulder external rotation with a band
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms at your sides.
- Hold a resistance band in both hands at arm's length in front of you with palms facing down.
- Slowly move arms out to the sides until they're parallel to the floor; then rotate them back up toward the ceiling without twisting or flexing at the waist (your elbows should stay tucked close to your body). That's one rep! Do 10-15 reps per set, resting 60 seconds between sets if needed.
Do these exercises to strengthen your shoulder.
- Supine shoulder external rotation: Lie on your back with both arms above your head. Bend your left knee and cross it over the right leg, then pull it up toward the chest until you feel a stretch in the shoulder muscles. Rotate the left arm outward, keeping it straight and holding onto something for balance if needed. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides and repeating for three sets of 10 repetitions on each side. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
- Prone scapular retraction: Lie face down on an exercise mat or floor with arms extended at shoulder height next to ears, palms facing down toward feet; keep elbows slightly bent throughout the exercise (if they aren't already). Slowly raise both arms off the mat while simultaneously pulling shoulders back as far as possible without arching lower back or lifting hips off the ground--you should feel this move mostly through upper back muscles rather than the chest area.
Conclusion
There you have it, five great exercises for strengthening your supraspinatus muscle. We hope you've found this article helpful and will use it as a guide to help you strengthen your shoulders. If you have any questions or concerns about performing these exercises, please consult your doctor before beginning them!
