ORTHOPEDICS/SHOULDER & ELBOW/SHOULDER DISORDERS
Complex Shoulder Assembly/ Damage Susceptibility
A rotator cuff is a muscles and tendons assemblage that surround the shoulder joint front, back top. Its role is to maintain safely the upper arm bone in the shoulder shallow socket.
Rotator cuff damages happen because of either a severe damage or a gradual damage caused by recurrent motion, such as reaching overhead and wavering arms.
Gradual damages are most frequently related to work (such as painting or lifting) or to sports (like tennis or swimming) where the shoulder is consistently stressed.
Rotator Cuff Damage/Signs
Rotator cuff damages depend on the acuteness from simple inflammation to an entire shoulder joint trouble.
The most common signs comprise: profound dull ache in the shoulder, arm weakness, difficulty in reaching up and behind, difficulty sleeping on the painful shoulder.
In some situations, the shoulder may be completely frozen and immobilized.
In other cases, the signs may seldom flare up and frequently after an energetic activity or overuse.
Rotator Cuff Damage/Reasons
Rotator cuff damage signs and therapy depends basically on the injury reason.
If the damage is resulting of an accident, immediate medical care should be assisted.
In other cases where the shoulder assembly has been progressively worn down, the attention may be focused more on exercise and pain assistance.
Amid the two most common causes:
- An impingement
An impingement is a disorder where the rotator cuff muscles inflames and contracts the space between the arm and the shoulder bones. In such case, and over the time, an impingement can lead to a shoulder inflammation (tendinitis) and bursa (bursitis). In addition, if kept without therapy, it can cause tendons thinness and tear. The development of bone limbs (osteophytes) is also frequent.
Therapy Alternatives
The most rotator cuff damages are treated with non-surgical approaches.
The objective would be allowing the shoulder healing with some exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles and to repair the entire motion range.
Therapy involves classically:
- Relaxation and immobilizing the shoulder with a specific support
- Ice applying to alleviate pain and inflammation
- Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxen
- Planning physical therapy
- Learning shoulder-strengthening movements as part of rehab
If above measures fail to provide relief, cortisone injections may be taken.
Lastly, if surgery is recommended, alternatives may focus on:
- Classical open surgery
- Arthroscopic surgery
- Shoulder joint switching.