In my Shoulder Pain post I mentioned that I was getting some discomfort that could be related to my rotator cuff and that I was thinking about buying The Ultimate Rotator Cuff Training Guide. Well I have now bought this.

The ebook starts off with some sections on anatomy and the pathology of rotator cuff problems. My thought is that these could have been a bit more detailed, but I suppose they tell you as much as you need to know. It then goes on to talk about the role of posture and how performing certain weight training exercises badly can cause rotator cuff problems.

However the heart of the matter is the exercise routines that are provided. The first of these is for maintenance of a healthy shoulder. The second, which is most of interest to myself at the moment, is for the rehabilitation of an injured rotator cuff. This is a progressive six week programme with exercises performed three times a week. In addition to rotator cuff exercises there are also exercises for scapular stability.

So I'm now doing these exercises and for now all other weight training on my chest, shoulders and upper back is on hold. I'll report back on this periodically. All in all, the book costs less that a single visit to a sports physio, so if the exercises do the trick then it will be worth the outlay.

Update 7th April 2007: to see the concluding post on this topic please click here.