Rotator Cuff - Overhyped?

[Traps]

musclesntx....... Because of your emphatic claims that doing barbell shrugs causes RC and shoulder issues, I'd like your input(and anyone else for that matter) on the following thread posted at t-nation. (which I might add is extensive)

Testosterone Nation - Push-Ups, Face Pulls, and Shrugs

Push-Ups, Face Pulls, and Shrugs
...for Strong and Healthy Shoulders!

Screw the Rotator Cuff!

That's right, screw it. Seriously, it's about as over-hyped as Kevin Federline's big "debut." We think the rotator cuff gets way too much attention. Whenever shoulder pain creeps up, what's the first thing that everyone brings up? The rotator cuff, of course. (Or for those of you from Indiana, that would be your "rotary cup").

"My shoulder hurts when I bench press."

"Well, you need to strengthen your rotator cuff."

"It hurts when I reach overhead or do barbell presses."

"You're probably impinging your rotator cuff."

"I hurt my shoulder pitching and now I can't collect my million dollar performance bonus."

"Sounds like you tore your rotator cuff."

We've had it up to our shoulders with the rotator cuff! While the rotator gets all the chicks, all the glamour, and all the attention, the real star of the show is forced to the background. In fact, it never even gets any mirror time at the gym, unless you're picking at your backne. (We've seen you do it).

Allow us to introduce the real star of the show: the scapula!

The Only Shrugs You Haven't Done Before!

One of the common findings in a downwardly rotated scapula is a lengthened upper trapezius. In this situation, the excessive length makes the upper trap weak and a less than effective upward rotator of the scapula. Ineffective upward rotation of the scapula, especially with overhead movements, is a recipe for rotator cuff injury.

The obvious fix would be to address the weakness with some form of shrugging movement to strengthen the upper trapezius and improve the upward rotation function. There's just one catch: the typical barbell or dumbbell shrug may make the situation worse.

A shrug with the arms at the sides will certainly activate the upper trapezius, however it also strongly recruits the levator scapulae and the rhomboids, the downward scapular rotators. This feeds the imbalance causing the downward scapular rotation dominance.

The answer is to perform a shrugging movement with the scapulae in an upwardly rotated position with the overhead shrug.

[Traps]

This was a damn good read. I'll have to read it a couple more times to digest it all. At least now I have a little better understanding as to why I have shoulder issues.

[joemomma]

Lemme see if I got this....the big traps cause even more strain to be put on the shoulder (rotator)? How do you fix this? It mentions overhead shrugs or something? WTH is that?

[Traps]

The article basically indicated that most shoulder issues are due to an imbalance of muscle strength and development around the scapulae. It gave three exercises to strengthen the muscles. Overhead shrugs was just one. Pretty sure there was a video showing an example of an overhead shrug. Looks like a shoulder press execept no press - you shrug upwards. I'll have to read it again to try and understand the terminology better.

[Caferacer]

Originally Posted by Traps

The article basically indicated that most shoulder issues are due to an imbalance of muscle strength and development around the scapulae. It gave three exercises to strengthen the muscles. Overhead shrugs was just one. Pretty sure there was a video showing an example of an overhead shrug. Looks like a shoulder press execept no press - you shrug upwards. I'll have to read it again to try and understand the terminology better.

It mentions only because the scapula is downwardly rotated. When it's downwardly rotated, something calling 'winging' occurs, and a good reason why it hurts is because of the change in the rotation of the shoulder.

So yes, winged scapulas cause shoulder pain, like the article suggests. Especially since they are the only connecting bone that connects your arm to the rest of your body. BUT the other things connecting your arm to your body are a group of muscles that connect to the rib cage. Most of those being the rotator cuff.

So unless you have either winged shoulder blades (Where the tip of the shoulder blade sticks out) or the beginnings of them, I would be willing to be the cuff would be the problem, unless they are in a sport where their arms are above their head most of the time (Volleyball for example).

Besides the fact that a lot of times shoulder blade injuries and rotator cuff injuries go hand in hand. It just an injury to a portion of your body that connects your arm to your body, either by muscles or bone.

Which also doesn't mean that all the tendencies people have in the gym don't either contribute to a shoulder blade disorder or rotator cuff injuries. Flared elbows, shrugs, ect ect. I still hate shrugs whether the writer claims most injuries are shoulder blade injuries or not.

Ad for the overhead shrug, grab a low pully, and do a lateral raise pulling the wire across your body but go all the way up. You should feel it in your trap; thats the base of what the writer is talking about.

[goseeagoodpt]

The rotator cuff covers the scapula(front and back) and is the infrastructure to the shoulder. ..the nut and bolts. You can build the strongest steel over a building (ie: lats, delts, pecs, upper traps etc. ) , but if the nuts & bolts are not holding the infrastructure together (ie; rotator cuff) your building will fall down very quickly.

When your superficial muscles are too strong in comparison to the deeper rotator cuff muscles , you in essence make your shoulder weaker if you keep adding strength to the superficial muscles.

As far as balance in the rotator cuff muscles / muscles that cover the front and back of the scapula (a bone) this is also a consideration. The upward rotators of the scapula and downward rotators of the scapula all have their job to do and if there is a particular weakness of one of them, it usually occurs in conjuction with difficulty either lifting the arm (upward rotators) or lowering the arm (downward rotators) and it can be beneficial to piece out the weakest link and make it stronger.

Impingement occurs often when the pecs and upper traps are over developed and tight compared to the muscles that retract and depress the scapula.

Of course there are a 'slew' of other nerve injuries and weird syndromes that can cause this also ( most probably unlikely), but could be checked out by your doctor.

Balance, balance, "inside/stabilizing " muscles more important to support the system.
Go see a good physical therapist who can help you.