Internal rotation is the rotation of a limb at a joint towards the anterior part of the body. It can occur at the shoulder, hip, and forearm. Weak internal rotators can cause posture problems, while unbalanced upper body strength training can cause an imbalance that can be corrected by stretching and strengthening exercises.
Also known in anatomy as medial rotation, internal rotation is the rotation of a limb at a joint about a vertical axis toward the anterior, or frontal, part of the body. A movement that is possible at the shoulder and hip joints, an example of internal rotation would be rotating an arm that is hanging to the side at the shoulder joint so that the palm faces back, or rotating the leg at the knee joint. the hip so that the toes turn inward. This movement is done in opposition to external rotation, in which the limb is turned outward at the joint, such as by turning the palm forward or the fingers outward. Another part of the body that is capable of these types of rotation is the forearm, which rotates to rotate the wrist relative to the elbow in a pair of movements known as pronation and supination.
Internal rotation is defined relative to a fixed body position known as the anatomical position. In the anatomical position, the body is upright with feet together, arms at sides, and forearms supine or palm forward. This is considered a neutral position; therefore, turning the shoulder or turning the leg in would be considered medial rotation relative to anatomical position. Furthermore, since it is a relative movement, it applies whether the body is standing, sitting, lying on its back or stomach, or in any other position.
At the hip joint, the muscles that internally rotate the leg are the gluteus minimus and medius on the posterior hip, the tensor fasciae latais on the anterior outer thigh, and several of the adductor muscles on the inner thigh. These muscles are often weak in relation to the large number of muscles that pull the leg externally, resulting in a permanently rotated posture. Exercising the internal rotators with strength training movements can help restore balance to the hip joint.
Internal rotation at the shoulder joint is a common condition in sedentary populations where sitting at a computer, for example, causes the shoulders to round forward. The internal rotation muscles, which include the pectoralis major in the chest, the anterior deltoid in the front of the shoulder, the latissimus dorsi in the sides of the back, and various rotator cuff muscles, become very tight in this position and create a permanent advance -Posada posture.
Internal rotation is also commonly caused by unbalanced upper body strength training. Exercises that focus too much on the chest and lats often develop this imbalance, which is indicated by palms constantly facing backwards. The imbalance can be corrected by stretching the muscles of internal rotation and strengthening the muscles that push the shoulders back, the muscles of the upper back.
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