Rotator Cuff (shoulder) Injury Introduction

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that helps to lift your arm up over your head and also rotate it towards and away from the body. Unfortunately, it is also a group of muscles that is frequently injured by tears, tendonitis, impingement, bursitis, and strains. The major muscle that is usually involved is called the supraspinatus muscle.

Rotator cuff problems are usually broken up into the following categories listed below. If you're not sure which one of these you have, start with rotator cuff tendonitis.

Rotator cuff tendonitis is also known as impingement syndrome or shoulder bursitis. Usually this occurs in people 30-80 years of age, and usually the weakness in the shoulder is only mild to moderate.

Rotator cuff tears occur in people who have had tendonitis for a while and are starting to experience more weakness. It can also happen in someone who tries to lift something too heavy and feels a pop in the shoulder.

Instability impingement occurs in younger patients, typically 15-30 years old. The rotator cuff is irritated because the shoulder is loose in the socket. This often happens when repeatedly throwing the ball.

The pain of both of these types of bursitis is usually better with rest or even using some heat over the areas of pain. This is the most common type of bursitis. An infection to the bursa usually has redness associated with this swelling and the pain is constant. If you think you may have an infection, please seek medical treatment immediately.

Rotator Cuff Injury Signs & Symptoms

• Restriction of the shoulders movement
• Player will complain of weakness and pain in the shoulder especially when raising the arm above the shoulder.
• If the rotator cuff has a tear the player will complain of severe pain and difficulty in sleeping.
• X-rays and MRI scan may be necessary.

Rotator Cuff Injury Treatment

1. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications will be required to lessen pain and inflammation,
2. Physiotherapy - keeps your shoulder strong and flexible and reduces the pain and weakness
3. Cortisone steroid injections can be used to reduce inflammation and control the pain
4. Surgery is required if:

a. If the tear follows an injury
b. When pain and weakness is not improved with injections and physiotherapy
- The goal of any surgery is to relieve the pain and improve the shoulder strength. This requires a long period of physiotherapy in addition to the surgery.

- Surgery may be done Arthroscopically (keyhole) or Open, or a combination of the two, know as a Mini-repair.
- Some tears are too large to repair and then Arthroscopic Debridement may be performed to relieve the pain.