Protect shoulders from wear and tear

If your shoulders feel weak when you play racquet sports or toss a Frisbee, you may need to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles. This is a great exercise that will help to stabilize your arm in its socket.

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1 Hold a dumbbell (2 to 5 pounds) in your left hand. Lie on your right side on the floor, or over a Bosu ball for comfort. Bend both knees. Position your left elbow at your side and bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Your palm and forearm will face your stomach.

2 With your left elbow below shoulder level, rotate your arm from the shoulder and slowly raise your left hand to elbow height. Your palm will face the floor. Pause for a moment, then slowly lower your left hand back toward your stomach. Throughout the exercise, remember to pull your abdominal muscles in toward your spine to prevent your lower back from overarching.

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-- Karen Voight