Solid Shoulder Series: Part 3. Supraspinatus

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Swimmers can often get painful conditionings around the shoulder joint, a common one is impingements which specific types are so common they have been dubbed ‘Swimmers Shoulder’. Swimmers’ Shoulder includes various conditions often associated with pain at the front of the shoulder.

One such cause is called Subacromial Impingement, which can be primary or secondary. The full breakdown of this condition is beyond the scope of this article which we will cover in the future. The main cause of primary Shoulder Impingement is rotator cuff damage or dysfunction. However, in swimmers, damage to the Supraspinatus muscle or tendon is the main cause of shoulder pain.

So, how do we prevent this and keep our swimming athletes happy and healthy? We improve the strength of this muscle so it can better cope and handle the pool training.

Demonstration of a Banded Partial Lateral Raise. Note the band is parallel to the floor with high tension to load the Supraspinatus.

Some things to consider:

1. Wide stance, this will give you stability and confidence in the movement.

2. Slight bend in the elbow.

3. Slowly pull the band away from you.

4. Only completely the first few degrees of movement.

5. Pause or step away from the band anchor point part way through each rep to increase load on the Supraspinatus.