Your rotator cuff is made up of the muscles and tendons in your shoulder. These muscles and tendons connect your upper arm bone (humerus) with your shoulder blade. They also help hold the ball of your upper arm bone firmly in your shoulder socket.
Rotator cuff injuries are fairly common. Causes include poor posture, falling, lifting and repetitive overhead arm activities such as: throwing a baseball,
reaching up repetitively to work or placing items on shelves above your head. The injury is common among people whose occupation includes heavy demands on their shoulders, such as athletes and people in the construction trades. As you get older, your risk of a rotator cuff injury increases.
Treatment
Treatment for rotator cuff injuries typically involves exercise therapy. Your doctor or physical therapist will talk with you about specific exercises designed to help heal your injury, improve the flexibility of your rotator cuff and shoulder muscles and provide balanced shoulder muscle strength. Depending on the severity of your injury, physical therapy may take from three weeks to several months.
Other treatments may include Steroid Injections or Surgery. Doctors commonly use corticosteroids by injection to relieve inflammation and pain. If you have a large tear in your rotator cuff, you may need surgery. Sometimes during this kind of surgery, doctors may also remove a bone spur or calcium deposits.
Self-care
A minor injury often heals on its own, if you take care of it. If you think you've injured your rotator cuff, try these steps:
- Rest your shoulder
- Apply Ice and Heat
- Take pain relievers
- Keep your muscles limber
