What muscles in the rotator cuff are often damaged or overused?
(View of muscles in the back of the Shoulder) Recent literature has shown that of the four rotator cuff muscles, the Infraspinatus and Supraspinatus muscles have increased prevalence of injuries in overhead throwers. The relationship between flexibility and strength is imperative for proper biomechanical performance at the shoulder joint. When there is an abnormality in this relationship (i.e. increased flexibility vs. weakness; decreased flexibility vs. tightness) athletes are prone to sustaining an injury. Often at the rotator cuff, we see breakdown of the Infraspinatus muscle in the participants’ throwing shoulder. Repeated excessive stresses are placed on this muscle during the deceleration phase of throwing in order to slow the athletes’ arm down after they have released the baseball. The second muscle most susceptible to injury is the Supraspinatus which is located on the top of the shoulder. This muscle primarily acts to lift the arm out to the side and secondarily acts to contr
