A rotator cuff injury is a strain or tear in the group of muscles that holds your shoulder joint together
HOW DOES IT OCCUR?
A rotator cuff injury may result from:
- using your arm to break a fall
- falling onto your arm
- lifting a heavy object
- use of your shoulder in sports with a repetitive overhead motion, such as swimming, baseball (mainly pitchers), football, and tennis, which gradually strains the tendon
- manual labor such as painting, plastering, raking leaves, or housework
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
- arm and shoulder pain
- shoulder weakness
- shoulder tenderness
- loss of shoulder movement, especially overhead
HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and check your shoulder for pain, tenderness, and loss of motion as you move your arm in all directions. Your doctor will also ask whether your shoulder pain began suddenly or gradually. An x-ray may be taken to rule out fractures or bone spurs. Based on these results, your doctor may order other tests and procedures, including:
- an arthrogram, which is an x-ray taken after a special dye has been injected into your shoulder joint to outline its soft structures
- magentic resonance imaging (MRI) which creates images of your shoulder and surrounding structures with magnetic and sound waves
- arthroscopy, a surgical procedure in which a small instrument is inserted into your shoulder joint so your doctor is able to look directly at your rotator cuff
HOW IS A ROTATOR CUFF INJURY TREATED?
A tendon in your shoulder can be inflamed, partially torn, or completely torn. What is done for it depends on how torn it is and how much pain you have. If your tear is a minor one, it can heal by itself if it does not interfere with your everyday activities. Your treatment plan should include:
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- proper sitting posture, in which your head and shoulders are balanced
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- rest for your shoulder, avoiding strenuous activity and any overhead motion that causes pain
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- ice packs at least once a day, preferably 2 to 3 times a day
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- doing the exercises your doctor or physical therapist outlines for you
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- anti-inflammatory drugs
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- physical therapy to strengthen your shoulder as it heals
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If you have a bad tear, you may need to have it repaired by surgery. Arthroscopy is also used to perform surgery on a joint, not only for viewing its interior. The rough edges of a torn tendon can be trimmed and left to heal. Larger tears can be stitched back together. After surgery, your treatment plan will include physical therapy to strengthen your shoulder as it heals.
HOW LONG WILL THE EFFECTS OF A TORN ROTATOR CUFF LAST?
Full recovery depends on what is torn and the method of treatment.
WHEN CAN I RETURN TO MY SPORT OR ACTIVITY?
The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your sport or activity will be determined by how soon your shoulder recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since the injury occurred. You may safely return to your sports or activity when:
- your injured shoulder has full range of motion without pain
- your injured shoulder has regained normal strength compared to the uninjured shoulder
In throwing sports, you must gradually build up your tolerance for throwing. This means you should start with gentle tossing and gradually throw harder. In contact sports, your shoulder must not be tender to touch and contact should progress from minimal contact to harder contact.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING?
The best way to prevent a recurrence is to strengthen your shoulder muscles, and to keep them in top condition with shoulder exercises.
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