How to Strengthen Shoulder Ligaments?

Ligaments are the soft tissues that join two different bones. Shoulder plays an important part in the movement of the arm and neck. In many situations, due to any disorder or damage in the shoulder ligaments the smooth movements of the arm and neck may be severely hampered. Damage in the shoulder ligaments may also cause severe pain and affect normal activities of the concerned person. Apart from that, people, who need to carry heavy loads or use their shoulders too much may weaken their shoulder muscles. Sports persons, weightlifters, bodybuilders often face such problems.

The shoulder ligaments along with the joint capsule play an important role in shoulder strength and shoulder function. The ligaments provide all the essential limitations to extreme motions that may protect or cause harm to the linked bones.

As the ligaments are not associated with the muscles, they don’t provide much support for themselves i.e., the shoulder ligaments can lose strength due to constant movement of the shoulder bones, and muscles. However, one can recover the shoulder strength, and guard the ligaments by performing certain exercises. The exercises are actually meant for the entire shoulder area that includes ligaments, and all the four rotator cuff muscles.

These exercises contain some movements that must be performed perfectly to ensure that the ligaments get the maximum benefits of these exercises. It is also important to know in this context that the rotator cuff muscles and the adjoining ligaments require lighter weights and more repetitions to gain maximum strength.

Following are the best exercises of strengthening shoulder ligaments. It is better to perform these exercises lying on a bench of 3 to 4 feet height.

The performer needs to lie down on your right side with the head on a rolled towel. The head needs to be at the right angle with the shoulder and the right arm resting in any comfortable position. The left arm needs to rest on the stomach folded at a right angle from the elbow. The elbow should rest on another rolled up towel, which is to be placed on the waist contour. Now a light weight (2 to 3 pound) dumbbell is to be gripped in this arm, and the arm is to be rotated from the surface of the bench up to the horizontal level with the bench. This rotational movement is to be performed 15 to 20 times. The same exercise is to be performed with the other arm also by changing the posture.

To perform this exercise, the performer needs to lie on the stomach with the right arm hanging down from the bench. Here again, the performer needs to hold a light weight dumbbell, and lift the arm up to the horizontal position with the ground, or parallel to the body. This movement is to be performed 15 to 20 times without pause. The same exercise is to be completed with the left arm.

This exercise is to be performed with the same posture just mentioned above with the dumbbells. The dumbbell is to be gripped in such a way that the thumb points towards the body. In this position, the hand is to be folded from the elbow with the forearm making a right angle with the ground, and the arm parallel with the ground. In no situation, the position of the thumb can change. After, practicing this posture for 10 times, the forearm is to be rotated in the forward direction making it parallel with the ground. This second posture is the extension of the first one, i.e. while practicing this posture the arm is to be rotated from the right angle to the parallel position.

Two most effective standing-posture exercises to strengthen shoulder ligaments are as follows:

The performer needs to stand straight with feet 2 foot away from a wall. The hands are to be placed shoulder width apart on the wall with the palms open, fingers pointing upwards, and touching the wall. In this position, the entire body is to be pushed towards the wall, and back for 10 to 15 times.

This exercise to strengthen the shoulder ligament is very easy to perform. Standing on the ground, two light weight dumbbells are to be taken in two hands. Then, the two hands are to be lifted, keeping them straight on the two sides of the body. After that, the hands are to be pushed forward slightly and then backwards. This rotation is to be practiced 5 to 6 times before getting back to the resting position.

Shoulder ligaments remain tensed while a person performs their daily activities. People in sports and people who have to carry heavy weights on a regular basis may face several problems in later stages of their career, or life. Shoulder ligaments could be kept strong and flexible with some simple exercises. One needs to perform these exercises on a regular basis. At the initial stage, one may require expert guidance, but later he can continue to perform those exercises at home.