Rotator Cuff Pain
For understanding rotator cuff pain, you would have to know the anatomy of the rotator cuff. Basically, this kind of pain is a specific type of upper arm pain that arises due to any trauma to the rotator cuff. If you have a rotator cuff impingement, you'll notice pain in your shoulder. Reaching your arms behind your back or raising them overhead will.
With a torn rotator cuff symptoms include pain across the shoulder, arm weakness and difficulty with activities above or behind your head and back.The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles which control the movement and position of the shoulder. Damage to the rotator cuff tendons can develop through repetitive wear and tear, or from an injury such as a fall on to an outstretched arm.Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and are often associated with.
They most commonly affect people over the age of forty, sportsmen and construction workers.Here we will look how the rotator cuff works, how it gets damaged, common torn rotator cuff symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options. What is the Rotator Cuff?Let's have a look at the rotator cuff anatomy. Bubble shooter apk. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that work together tocontrol and move the shoulder. The shoulder is made up of three bones:. Humerus: upper arm bone. Scapula: shoulder blade.
Clavicle: collar boneThe shoulder joint, aka the glenohumeral joint, is aball and socket joint. The round head of the humerus forms the ballwhich sits in the shallow socket formed by part of the scapula. Therotator cuff muscles surround the joint holding the ball and sockettogether, connecting the humerus to the shoulder blade.Each rotator cuff musclearises from the shoulder blade and forms tendons which attach on to thehumerus. It is the tendon parts of the rotator cuff that tend to get damaged.The four muscles that make up the rotator cuff are:. Supraspinatus: across the top of the shoulder.
Initiates abduction i.e. Moving the arm out sideways, and stabilises the shoulder duringmovement.
Most commonly damaged tendon. Infraspinatus: at the back of the shoulder. Laterally rotates the arm i.e. Turns it outwards. Teres Minor: at the back of the shoulder below infraspinatus.
Laterally rotates the arm i.e. Turns it outwards. Subscapularis: runs across to the front of the shoulder. Medially rotates the arm i.e. Turns it inwardsWhat Causes Rotator Cuff Tears?Torn rotator cuff symptoms can develop gradually over time through wear and tear, known as a degenerative tear, or suddenly from an injury, known as an acute tear. Degenerative Tears.
Repetitive Friction: repetitive activities which involve the rotator cuff, increases the strain on the tendons. Activities where the arm is frequently overhead such as sports with throwing motions or racket sports, occupations involving manual labour and general day-to-day activities above head-height particularly increase the strain on the rotator cuff making it prone to damage.Bone Spurs: as we age, we can develop bone spurs, small outgrowths of bone which make our joints less smooth. These spurs can rub on the tendon, leading to fraying and tearing of the tendonOver the age of around forty, any damage to the tendons is slower to heal as the blood isn’t as good as when we are young, so often tears never get a chance to heal properly and get progressively worse. As a result, you are much more likely to experience torn rotator cuff symptoms over the age of forty.Poor posture can also make you more prone to a degenerative rotator cuff tear. One example of this is a forward rounded posture (known as kyphosis), as it reduces the space in the shoulder joint, increasing the pressure on the tendons. Acute InjuryTorn rotator cuff symptoms can also develop suddenly after an injury. The two most common ways to damage the rotator cuff are:.
A Fall: landing on an outstretched arm. Lifting: picking up something awkwardly that is too heavyYounger patients most commonly develop a tear from an acute injury whereas degenerative rotator cuff tears and more common in those over the age of forty.
Torn Rotator Cuff SymptomsWith a degenerative torn rotator cuff symptoms tend to start of fairlymild and get progressively worse over time. Acute rotator cuff tearsmore typically cause instant, intense pain.
Torn rotator cuff symptomscommonly include. Pain: across the shoulder, often described as a dull ache deep inside. Rotator cuff tear symptoms tend to get worse when lifting or rotating your arm, with activities such as brushing your hair, or when lying on that side in bed, which often leads to disturbed sleep. As the condition gets worse, you may experience pain even when resting the arm. Weakness: difficulty lifting or twisting the arm are common torn rotator cuff symptoms, which can lead to decreased range of movement. Crepitus: you may notice funny cracking or popping noises when you move the arm due to the decreased stability of the shoulderTorn rotator cuff symptoms will depend on the severity of the injury.
There are three grades for tendon strains:Grade 1 Strain: overstretching of tendon, but no fibres are torn Grade 2 Strain: a partial rotator cuff tear – some of the fibres are torn Grade 3 Strain: a complete/full thickness rotator cuff tear - the tendon completely detaches from the bone. In this case, you may lose the ability to abduct your arm, i.e. Struggle to lift it to the side Diagnosing Rotator Cuff TearsYou doctor will start by taking you history, finding out how and when the pain started and how the arm is feeling, to identify torn rotator cuff symptoms. They will then examine the arm, looking at your range of movement and strength, palpating the different structures and moving your arm into different positions. They may well also examine your neck, as neck problems often present with shoulder pain.Depending on your torn rotator cuff symptoms, they may send you for further investigations, such as x-rays, to look for any bone spurs or arthritis or an MRI or ultrasound scan to look at the soft tissues and identify the presence, location and size of a tear.
Rotator Cuff Tear TreatmentTreatment for rotator cuff tears will depend on the severity of the injury, as well as the age and activity level of the patient. Treatment should target not just your torn rotator cuff symptoms, but the underlying cause of the problem, such as any areas of weakness or postural issues.In most cases, conservative treatment i.e. Non-surgical, is sufficient, but in more severe cases such as grade 3 tears, or if symptoms have failed to settle, surgery may be advised. Non-Surgical TreatmentConservative treatment usually involves a combination of the following:.
Medication:Your doctor may recommend painkillers and/or anti-inflammatories toreduce your torn rotator cuff tear symptoms of pain and swelling. Rest: It is important to avoid activities that cause pain, else the rotatorcuff tear can get worse. With acute tears, you may be given a sling towear initially. However, it is really important to keep the arm movingin a pain-free range, otherwise stiffness and weakness can develop. Physical Therapy & Exercises: aphysical therapist can work on a rehab programme with you to help youregain strength and movement in the shoulder as well as address anyunderlying issues such as poor posture from long term weakness andtightness which may have contributed to the tear in the first place.They may also carry out deep transverse friction massage to help thetendons heal correctly and/or acupuncture to help relieve pain. Visit the section to find out more.
Steroid Injections:your doctor may recommend a steroid injection to help reduce your tornrotator cuff symptoms. Liyla and the shadows of war download. A mixture of local anaesthetic andcorticosteroid is injected into the shoulder to help reduce pain andinflammation.
You can find out more about how work on our sister site.There is no quick fix for torn rotator cuffsymptoms and it can take a few months for things to settle down, so itis important to persevere with treatment. Rotator Cuff SurgeryIf torn rotator cuff symptoms have failed to settle or with more severe injuries, surgery, known as a rotator cuff repair may be advised.