MX Related Shoulder Injuries
By Torr Bennetta
Torr Bennetta comes to us from Rockland County, New York and is, among other things, a muscular-skeletal and re-hab specialist, Exercise Physiologist, and is NESTA Certified. His day job has him working as a r
ehab assistant for HEALTHSOUTH while working on his doctorate in Physical Therapy. He is also a certified personal trainer, former elite endurance athlete in cross-country skiing & cycling, and holds a USA cycling coaching certification. He also works as a senior trainer on staff at TARGETRAINING, an upscale training center serving all segments of the population. He also finished 3rd in the points championship (VET B) in his regional off-road grand prix series. But that's about all we really know about the guy. - Virtual Trainer
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Shoulder injuries are a common occurrence in motocross racing. All it takes is one decent crash or tip-over and the impact of landing on your side can result in a shoulder dislocation or separation. If you have been one of the rider’s unfortunate enough to have had to deal with a nagging shoulder injury, you know how debilitating it can be. For those who have never experienced problems in the shoulder joint, the obvious key element is to keep the area strong & healthy to decrease the likelihood of sustaining any future injury while training or racing.
Prevention
Two important facets of shoulder wellness and function are prevention and rehab. Prevention implies maintaining joint integrity and strength so that the shoulder can handle the rigors of motocross. Most riders know the importance of maintaining an ‘elbows-up’ posture while riding for the best results when attacking the track, and this is made considerably easier if the shoulder is strong and can support the arm and the impacts that acceleration, chop, braking bumps, etc. are throwing at you. Strength and integrity are best maintained through such activities as proper weight training, swimming, and rowing. As always, the most productive program will be one under the guidance of an experienced and certified professional, such as a personal trainer or a strength and conditioning coach.
Technicalities of the Shoulder Joint
Lets have a quick look at the shoulder joint in a little more detail. The shoulder is made up of three bones, and the tendons of four muscles (tendons attach muscle to bone.) The bones are called the "Scapula," the "Humerus" and the "Clavicle." Or, in layman's terms, the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone and the collarbone, respectively. The four muscles which make up the shoulder joint are called, the "Supraspinatus," the "Infraspinatus," the "Teres Minor" and the "Subscapularis." It is the tendons of these muscles, which connect to the bones, that help to move your arm. In the picture, three of the four muscles are visible, the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus and the teres minor. These are the muscles which are viewed from the rear, or posterior. The subscapularis is not visible because it can only be viewed from the front, or anterior and this particular view only shows the muscles from the rear, is if looking at someone's back. Technical enough for you? I'll stop there.
Causes of Injuries
There are two major causes of most shoulder injuries. The first being degeneration, or general wear and tear. Unfortunately, the shoulder is a tendinous area that receives very little blood supply. The tendons of the rotator cuff muscles receive very little oxygen and nutrients from blood supply, and as a result are especially vulnerable to degeneration with aging. This is why shoulder problems in the elderly are common. This lack of blood supply is also the reason why a shoulder injury can take quite a lot of time to heal.
The second cause of most shoulder injuries is due to excessive force, or simply putting too much strain on the tendons of the shoulder muscles. This is the most common type of MX injury and usually occurs when a force is applied to the arm while it's in an unusual or awkward position or if you try to lift something that is too heavy.
Exercises
There are countless exercises utilizing free weights, machines, and body weight exercises which can be used to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder joint. Two such exercises are illustrated below and are the overhead press and the lateral raise. Each of these exercises can be made more intense by adding a squat as shown in the lateral raise. Other common exercises such as the push-up employ the shoulder as well.
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Rehab
Rehabilitation comes into play for those riders who have sustained an injury during the prior season(s) and are looking to return to full function as well as avoid issues in the future. Case in point: Chad Reed. He has had multiple shoulder injuries over the last couple of seasons and must incorporate rehab based strength training into his program to excel at his optimal level. An important component of proper shoulder conditioning is to make sure the shoulder is addressed as a whole. The major muscles of the deltoid, as well as the smaller underlying muscles, all need stimulation. These smaller tissues are what are commonly referred to as the rotator cuff, and are prone to tearing if left inflexible and weak. Again, this is where having the proper advice of a professional such as a physical therapist or rehab assistant are advisable. If you are coming off an injury, it is always tempting to rush through the recovery process and load the bike up and head off to the track, but remember that with some patience and sound rehab practices, your ‘07 results could be vastly improved.
