Since it is one of the easiest body parts to injure, performing regular shoulder girdle exercise is very important if you want to keep up with your active lifestyle. When performing shoulder girdle exercises, you must keep in mind the current state of your muscle strength. This is one area you do not want to over push since there are so many tendons and ligaments related to it. If you over tax any of these you could risk serious damage so it is a good idea to error on the cautious side.
One very good shoulder girdle exercise to perform is a plate raise. To do this all you need to do is simply take a 10 to 15 lb weighted plate (it can be heavier depending on your current strength, this would be a good place to start though) and then holding it with hands on either side, lift it directly up in front of you. If you currently have pain in this area of the body, only lift to your shoulder height at maximum. If you are pain free you can go further, just be sure no pain is felt.
A second good strengthening activity to perform is a sideways rotation. To do this one, tie the end of a rubber tube to a stationary object that is about chest height (a pole works best). Then grasp the other end with the hand that is away from the wall so that there is enough tension that the tube is taut. Next slowly pull the tubing across the body in the outwards direction until the hand has now completed a 180 degree rotation. After doing so return to the starting position to complete one rep. Perform eight to fifteen more times before switching hands and repeating on the other side.
These are just two of the basic movements that you can perform in a prevention or rehabilitation program. If you are prone to injury in this area of the body or are particularly interested in strengthening it, you may also wish to make an appointment with a sports trainer or physiotherapist as they will likely be able to offer you many more options.
