Shoulder Rotator Cuff Injury Due to Poor Posture?

Yes. Posture has a profound affect on how you use, or overuse your body. And yes, posture is often the biggest reason why people develop shoulder rotator cuff injuries. The proof is simple. Let's look at the most commonly given exercise for the supraspinatus muscle. This muscle is one of the rotator cuff muscles, and helps hold the humerus head in the socket of the shoulder joint.

Note the angle that this person's shoulder is in. It is slightly forward, as if he is slouching.

Not surprisingly, the shoulder joint works best when you are in an upright position. In this position, the deltoid and the upper trapezius muscles do the heavy lifting.

With the body in a slightly forward slouched position, the heavy lifting is now done by the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. Why is this bad? These muscles are much smaller than the heavy lifters. That is why they fatigue more quickly. It is a simple case of muscle strain due to poor body mechanics. Certainly not all cases of rotator cuff damage occurs this way. Repetitive stress can occur with or without poor posture, as can traumatic accident. Most cases in which I have observed rotator cuff injury, the patient does not have any accident or trauma to report, nor any reason why they shoulder be having shoulder pain. If this sounds like you, try standing up straight. If that doesn't help, call a good chiropractor. Posture coaching, shoulder, neck, and upper back adjustments, and rehabilitative exercises will get you on your way to being pain free.