How Do I Know if I have Damaged my Rotator Cuff?

Rotator cuff injuries are extremely common tendon injuries, affecting more than 3 million people in the United States every year. Traditionally, rotator cuff injuries occur as the tendon wears slowly over time and with age, but rotator cuff tears are starting to occur more often in younger and active patients.

What is the Rotator Cuff?

The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles and four tendons around the shoulder joint. These muscles and tendons work together to provide the range of motion in the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears are a common shoulder injury and occur when one or more of the tendons tears.

What are the Symptoms of a Rotator Cuff Injury?

The severity of a rotator cuff tear can vary depending on the cause of injury and how long the symptoms have been present. Tears from a sudden injury leave little doubt and can result in intense shoulder pain. A degenerative rotator cuff injury is the result of repeated stress over time. Regardless of the root cause, a torn rotator cuff will weaken your shoulder and make normal activities difficult, especially those requiring you to raise your arm.

Other symptoms of a sudden or degenerative rotator cuff injury may include:

• Pain in the front and/or down the outside of the shoulder
• Pain at night, especially when lying on the injured shoulder
• Sharp, sudden pain when performing certain arm motions
• Clicking or popping sounds when moving the arm
• Inability to lift objects

Healthcare providers can determine the severity of a rotator cuff injury by performing several rotator cuff tests. These may include a physical exam in which the provider moves the arm and tests the strength of the shoulder. They may also request imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound or an X-ray to determine the status of the rotator cuff.

How is a Rotator Cuff Injury Treated?

In many cases, a rotator cuff injury can recover with rest and physical therapy. Nonsurgical treatment options may include resting of the shoulder or modified activity, anti-inflammatories, physical therapy and steroid injections of an anti-inflammatory such as cortisone.

If those methods do not improve shoulder pain, your doctor may recommend rotator cuff surgery, the scope of which depends on the severity of the injury. Surgical options include arthroscopic repair, open repair and mini-open repair. Your orthopedic shoulder surgeon will recommend the best surgical option to treat your torn rotator cuff.

Heal Your Rotator Cuff

Our goal at YourOrthoSolution is to reduce your pain, increase your mobility and get you back to the things you love. We believe the best treatment option is different for every person. We take a customized approach to your treatment plan and what your body will best handle to get you back to full strength quickly. Click here to see a list of centers and their contact information so that you can return to a pain-free life.