Women's Health reporter K. Aleisha Fetters writes about the importance of shoulder strength and how to prevent common shoulder injuries.

Due to estrogen, HSS physical therapist Jessica Hettler PT, DPT, ATC, SCS, OCS, Cert MDT, explained that women are more susceptible to shoulder injury. She noted that estrogen makes women's joints easier to injure and slower to repair.

Hettler said that women are most prone to ligament injury during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. She advised monitoring your form while exercising during this phase to avoid injury.

Additionally, if you are performing shoulder presses and your shoulders pop, Hettler recommended positioning your upper arms diagonally in front of your body rather than straight out to the sides to reduce the risk of impingement.

Read the full article at womenshealthmag.com. This also appeared in the April 2018 print issue.