Rotator Cuff Injury: Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment and Complications

The rotator cuff, a network of muscles and tendons, firmly holds the head of the upper arm bone inside the shallow socket of the shoulder. A rotator cuff injury may be the cause of a dull pain in the shoulder that worsens at night.

There is a general increase in rotator cuff injuries with age. Workers in industries that commonly involve overhead motions, such as carpentry and painting, are more likely to get these injuries earlier in life.

Physical therapy activities help strengthen and increase the flexibility of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. For many people with rotator cuff problems, these exercises are all that are necessary to manage their symptoms.

Sometimes, a single accident might result in rotator cuff injuries. In some cases, people should seek medical attention immediately since they might need surgery.

Causes Of Rotator Cuff Injury

Degradation of the tendon tissue over time is the most common cause of rotator cuff pain. Extended durations of heavy lifting or repetitive overhead tasks may result in tendon injury or inflammation. Sometimes a rotator cuff injury can result from a single incidence of accidents or falls.

Symptoms Of Rotator Cuff Injury

Rotator cuff pain may be brought on by the following conditions:

• Be described as a dark, profound shoulder pain.
• Make it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back 
• Disturbed sleep.
• Weaker arm
• Some rotator cuff problems cause no pain at all.

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Risk Factors Of Rotator Cuff Injury

The following conditions may make rotator cuff injuries more likely to occur:

• Age: The risk of rotator cuff injuries rises with age. Most rotator cuff injuries happen to persons who are older than 60.
• Specific occupations: Rotator cuff injuries can develop over time from repetitive overhead arm motions used in tasks like carpentry and house painting.
• Certain sports: Athletes who participate in weightlifting, baseball, and tennis have been found to have an increased risk of specific rotator cuff injuries.
• History within the household: Given that rotator cuff problems appear to run in families, these injuries may have a hereditary basis.

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Diagnosis Of Rotator Cuff Injury

During the physical examination, doctors will move your arm in different ways and apply pressure to different parts of the damaged shoulder. They will also evaluate the strength of the muscles in your arms and surrounding your shoulders.

Diagnostic imaging tests may include:

• Xray: An X-ray can show bone spurs or other potential causes of your symptoms, such as arthritis, even though it won't show a rotator cuff tear.
• Ultra-sonic: With the use of sound waves, this type of test produces images of the architecture of your body, particularly the soft tissues like muscles and tendons. It allows a medical practitioner to assess the structures of your shoulder while you're in motion. Quick comparisons between the injured and healthy shoulders are also made possible by it.
• Magnetic resonance imaging is referred to as MRI: This method makes use of radio waves and a strong magnet. The obtained images offer a comprehensive perspective of each shoulder structure.

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Treatment Of Rotator Cuff Injury

For rotator cuff injuries, conservative treatments like rest, ice, and physical therapy may be all that is needed to heal. If your injury is serious, you might need surgery.

Therapy

Physical therapy is usually one of the first recommended interventions. Exercises made especially for the location of your rotator cuff injury will help you regain your shoulder's flexibility and strength. Physical therapy plays a crucial role in the recovery process after rotator cuff surgery.

Injections

An injection of steroids into the shoulder joint may be helpful if the pain keeps you from sleeping, performing daily tasks, or engaging in physical therapy. Although these shots often provide temporary relief, they can also cause tendon damage and reduce the chances of success with further shoulder procedures.

Surgery

There are numerous surgical techniques for treating rotator cuff problems, including:

• Tendon repair with arthroscopic surgery: An arthroscope, a tiny camera, and other tools must be inserted by the surgeon along with tiny incisions in order to reattach the injured tendon to the bone.
• Open tendon repair: An open tendon repair could be the better option in some situations. Your physician makes a bigger incision during these types of operations to reattach the torn tendon to the bone.
• Tendon transfer: If the injured tendon cannot be repaired to rejoin it to the arm bone, surgeons may decide to replace it with a nearby tendon.
• Replacement of the shoulders: In cases of severe rotator cuff issues, shoulder replacement surgery can be required. An innovative procedure called reverse shoulder arthroplasty places the artificial joint's ball into the shoulder blade and its socket onto the arm bone, increasing the stability of the artificial joint.

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Complications Of Rotator Cuff Injury

Shoulder joint strength or range of motion may be permanently lost if rotator cuff problems are not corrected.

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