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Resisted External Rotation
Positions & Range of Motion
- Start
- Side-lying (or standing) with a towel trapped under the elbow, elbow flexed 90° at the side, forearm across the abdomen against band/cable resistance
- End
- Forearm rotated outward away from the body's centerline, wrist pointing toward the far wall, elbow staying pinned to the side
- Range of Motion
- Glenohumeral external rotation from ~internal/neutral to end-range ER with the elbow fixed at the side
How to Perform
Side-lying or standing with band/cable. Rotate forearm outward against resistance while keeping elbow at side. Key rotator cuff exercise.
Opens a YouTube search for “Resisted External Rotation”
Coaching Cues
- 1
Quiet shoulder — rotation starts at the back of the cuff
(verbal) - 2
Pull the band away from the body's centerline
(verbal) - 3
Rotate the wrist to point at the far wall
(verbal) - 4
Towel under the elbow stays trapped throughout
(tactile)
Evidence-Based Dosing & EMG Data
3×8 at 8-RM, 3 days/week; 2-second eccentric
Infraspinatus 62% MVIC, teres minor 67% MVIC [Reinold 2004]
Muscles Involved (4)
Primary Movers
Secondary Movers
Lengthened / Stretched
Easier Variations ↓
Active-Assisted External Rotation
Use a cane or dowel to assist the motion with the other hand. Reduces load on the rotator cuff.
Harder Variations ↑
90/90 External Rotation
Shoulder abducted to 90°, elbow at 90°. Rotate forearm up against resistance. Higher demand position.
Prone External Rotation
Lie face down on edge of table with arm hanging. Rotate forearm up against gravity.
Target Movements (1)
Why This Exercise Matters
Everyday activities this exercise helps you do — essential means it directly trains the capacity the task needs:
Goals This Helps With
Rehab, performance, prevention, and mobility goals this exercise supports — essential means it's a cornerstone:
Evidence Sources (10)
- 📄Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques— Kisner C, Colby LA, Borstad J
Therapeutic exercise foundations for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription— American College of Sports Medicine
ACSM exercise prescription guidelines for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄A Primary Care Provider's Guide to Shoulder Pain After Spinal Cord Injury— Mulroy SJ, Hafdahl L, Dyson-Hudson T
A Primary Care Provider's Guide to Shoulder Pain After Spinal Cord Injury — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄Shoulder Muscle Activity and Function in Common Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises— Escamilla RF, Yamashiro K, Paulos L, Andrews JR
Shoulder Muscle Activity and Function in Common Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄Electromyographic Analysis of the Rotator Cuff and Deltoid Musculature During Common Shoulder External Rotation Exercises— Reinold MM, Wilk KE, Fleisig GS, et al.
Electromyographic Analysis of the Rotator Cuff and Deltoid Musculature During Common Shoulder External Rotation Exercises — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄The Efficacy of Exercise Therapy for Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain According to the FITT Principle: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses— Lafrance S, Charron M, Dubé MO, et al.
The Efficacy of Exercise Therapy for Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain According to the FITT Principle: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄Progressive Exercise Compared With Best Practice Advice, With or Without Corticosteroid Injection, for the Treatment of Patients With Rotator Cuff Disorders (GRASP)— Hopewell S, Keene DJ, Marian IR, et al.
Progressive Exercise Compared With Best Practice Advice, With or Without Corticosteroid Injection, for the Treatment of Patients With Rotator Cuff Disorders (GRASP) — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄Muscle Recruitment Patterns of the Subscapularis, Serratus Anterior and Other Shoulder Girdle Muscles During Isokinetic IR and ER— Gaudet S, Tremblay J, Begon M
Muscle Recruitment Patterns of the Subscapularis, Serratus Anterior and Other Shoulder Girdle Muscles During Isokinetic IR and ER — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄Activation Patterns of Shoulder Internal and External Rotators During Pure Axial Moment Generation— Lang AE, Lin JH, Dickerson CR
Activation Patterns of Shoulder Internal and External Rotators During Pure Axial Moment Generation — evidence for Resisted External Rotation
- 📄EMG Analysis of Selected Shoulder Exercises for Patients With Symptomatic Degenerative Rotator Cuff Tears— Cools AM, Tongel AV, Berckmans K, et al.
EMG Analysis of Selected Shoulder Exercises for Patients With Symptomatic Degenerative Rotator Cuff Tears — evidence for Resisted External Rotation