Shoulder Injury – The Rotator Cuff

ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles called supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor that stabilise the shoulder joint for everyday movement. Unfortunately, because the shoulder joint has such a wide range of motion theses muscles are highly prone to injury. This can range from mild inflammation to a more aggressive tendinopathy or from a mild strain to a complete tear of the rotator cuff tendons.

Causes of Rotator Cuff Injuries

1. Repetitive movement: particularly for those who may have started a new role or activity that requires a lot of overhead movement, lifting or throwing are highly susceptible to cuff muscle pathologies.
2. Age-related degeneration: because we use this group of muscles every day, it undergoes natural degeneration and reduced blood flow which can lead to pain and dysfunction
3. Acute trauma: any action that quickly stretches or puts too much pressure on the shoulder joint can cause a tear in the rotator cuff. A common example would be falling with your hand stretched out or holding onto something to stop a fall.
4. Impingement: shoulder muscle injuries can come secondary to other shoulder issues. Poor biomechanics at the shoulder joint can lead to rubbing of the rotator cuff tendons along the shoulder blade.

Signs of a injury to the Rotator Cuff

Signs of a rotator cuff injury include pain at the shoulder joint or down the upper arm, weakness lifting the arm or objects, limited shoulder movement most commonly reaching above your head or behind your back or clicking or grinding sounds at the shoulder. A trained physiotherapist can identify and manage these injuries.

Management Options

1. Activity modification: any drastic changes in your physical activity can strain this group of muscles, therefore modifying your activity can improve symptoms and prevent further damage.
2. Exercise: an exercise regime created by a physiotherapist will aim to correct any poor biomechanics at the shoulder and strengthen the cuff muscles to be able to cope with the demands of your activity.
3. Inflammation management: a lot of the pain from these injuries will come from the associated inflammation, therefore anti-inflammatory medication and heat packs can be useful tools to control these symptoms.
4. Surgery: in severe cases particularly where the rotator cuff tendon has been torn, surgery may be required to repair any damage or reattach the torn tendon. Recovery from this surgery then requires an extended period of physiotherapy.

Injuries to the rotator cuff can come in many forms and can be quite debilitating for someone’s quality of life. Early detection and physiotherapy management is crucial for optimising recovery and returning to regular activity. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms do not hesitate to contact us at Hoppers Physio to have one of our highly qualified physiotherapists help you manage your injury.