How To Perform The Banded External Rotation at 90 Degrees Abduction

The banded external rotation at 90 degrees abduction is an exercise that can benefit athletes, patients with shoulder pain, and healthy individuals alike.

As you start the exercise in a prone position with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and your arm abducted to 90 degrees, you feel the resistance of the band as it pulls against your shoulder joint. The slow external rotation motion performed by rotating away from the body helps strengthen rotator cuff muscles while increasing the range of motion within the glenohumeral joint.

Additionally, this exercise helps alleviate symptoms associated with internal impingement syndrome caused by tightness in the posterior shoulder muscles such as the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor. With regular practice of this technique under the supervision of a physical therapist or athletic trainer, patients have reported improved strength levels as well as reduced pain in their shoulders.

• Begin by sitting in a chair with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your hand grasped around a resistance band.

• Position the band around the outside of your upper arm, near your shoulder joint.

• Gently pull the band to increase its tension and hold it in place.

• With the palm of your hand facing away from your body, slowly rotate your shoulder externally while keeping the elbow bent at 90 degrees.

• Feel the muscles of your rotator cuff come alive as they contract and release with every movement.

• Keep that tension in the band; be mindful not to overextend your shoulder muscles.

• Reach a full range of motion and then, just as slowly, reverse the external rotation back to your starting position.

• Repeat this exercise several times per session and increase the resistance band's tension at each session for maximum benefit.

• Remember, you're not only strengthening your shoulder muscles with every movement but also increasing its range of motion without risking injury.

• As you become more comfortable with the exercise, try rotating your arm further outwards – but don't forget to keep track of time or exceed any physical limits.

• Stay in tune with your body and listen to its signals, as you gradually increase the range of motion for improved shoulder strength and mobility.

The muscles activated during banded external rotation at 90 degrees abduction include the rotator cuff, serratus anterior, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and glenohumeral internal rotators. The motion requires the coordination of these muscles to ensure that the shoulder stays stabilized while external rotation occurs.

Is the banded external rotation an effective rotator cuff exercise?

The banded external rotation is an effective rotator cuff exercise and a staple of shoulder rehabilitation programs around the world. This exercise helps to improve strength in the rotator cuff muscles, which are crucial for shoulder stability and movement. The banded external rotation involves attaching an exercise band to a secure point such as a door handle or wall hook, then grasping the band and rotating the shoulder outwards away from the body. This exercise can improve rotator cuff strength, as evidenced by increased muscle activation during concentric and eccentric external rotation activities when compared to control groups.