Shoulder Mobility and Stability

About 3 months ago, while training for the RKC Snatch test doing long sets of 20L/20R with the 24kg I injured my left rotator cuff.  I am not exactly sure about the mechanism of the injury, but I was working on the corkscrew descent when I felt the pain.  The following day my shoulder range of motion was severely restricted secondary to pain.  I had my shoulder examined by one of my orthopedic surgeon friends and was diagnosed with a partial rotator cuff tear.  I described kettlebells to my orthopedic friend and told him that I was doing high volume snatches.  His response was to give up kettlebells.  This was not an acceptable answer.

I took 2 weeks off from exercise and was in a deep funk.  Kettlebells had changed my life.  Before marriage/kids/busy job I was a faithful gym rat.  However, once I married and introduced kids into the mix along with busy medical residency and fellowship training and then a new job, working out became more and more difficult. About 18 months ago my father introduced my wife and I to kettlebells and things have never been the same.  I am now able to work out at home in a short period of time.  I have lost weight, gotten stronger, and my aerobic conditioning is the best it has been in many years.  After my injury, I was worried I had lost everything!

That is when I began to communicate with Mark Reifkind, Senior RKC.  He shared with me his philosophy concerning rotator cuff rehab which is excellently outlined in the following two articles:                                  A New Component to Rotator Cuff Care

                 From Handstands to Bench Press to Jerks

After reading these articles and talking to Rif I started the following shoulder mobility rehab program (all exercises are described and demonstrated with youtube links in the above mentioned articles):

Overhead Stick Stretch

Stick Shoulder Extension

Overhead Hang

Wall Slides (These are described and demonstrated in exercise #7 in the following link to Mike Boyle's article The Essential 8 Mobility Drills )

I was absolutely shocked at how poor my shoulder mobility was when I first started these exercises.  After several weeks, however, I began to notice a significant improvement.  These exercises were also supplemented with a heavy dose of Z-Health exercises.  As my mobility improved and my shoulder pain subsided I began to introduce shoulder stability exercises including:

Overhead Stick Shrugs (see Rif's articles)

Scapula Pullaparts (see Rif's articles)

External Rotator work with stretch bands

Kettlebell Overhead Walks

Kettlebell TGU

Pullups

(For those of you without a squat rack in your basement, the overhead stick shrugs can be done kneeling in a doorway with the stick gliding over the doorway molding.  This simulates the squat rack very well)

Three months post injury, I have made almost a complete recovery.  I have returned to snatching and pressing the 24kg without problems.  In fact, I think that all of my overhead lifts have benefited from my improved shoulder mobility and stability.  I continue to work the above mentioned exercises 2-3 times per week and hope that these improvements will prevent any further shoulder related injuries.

Workout today was quick.  Had a very brutal weekend call with long hours spent in the hospital:

32kg one armed swings 10L/10R on 1:00 minute x 12 sets

Felt great!