| The simple answer is yes, most of the time. I put most | | | | reducing inflammation and pain. Once the injured |
| of the time at the end of that simply because there | | | | muscle has calmed down, you can start gentle |
| are some rotator cuff injuries that will need surgery or | | | | shoulder specific exercises to strengthen the rotator |
| may benefit from surgery because of the severity of | | | | cuff muscles. |
| the injury. However the vast majority of rotator cuff | | | | These exercises will involve small movements with little |
| pain comes from fairly easy to fix shoulder problems | | | | or no resistance initially. The rotator cuff are small |
| most of which can be treated with physical therapy. | | | | muscles. Using large weights will tend to exercise the |
| (that's exercise to most of us) If you have torn a | | | | major muscles of the shoulder and ignore the ones |
| rotator cuff badly or actually managed a full thickness | | | | you are trying to fix. Rotator cuff specific exercises |
| tear then surgery is going to be likely. | | | | will focus on strengthening these muscles which are |
| The rotator cuff is a small but very important group of | | | | key to having a healthy shoulder joint. |
| muscles all of which run from the shoulder blade at | | | | It is vitally important not to try working through this type |
| one end and fix to the upper arm or humerus at the | | | | of injury. The pain is caused by tendons impinging on |
| other. They surround the shoulder in a cuff of muscle, | | | | the bone of the joint. If you ignore the pain and carry |
| hence the name. They are very closely linked and | | | | on using the shoulder you will damage the muscle |
| weave under and over the bones of the shoulder so | | | | even further. Think of it like an old rope rubbing against |
| any inflammation caused by injury will result in pain. The | | | | a sharp edge. Carry on rubbing it against the edge in |
| pain is usually associated with certain movements such | | | | the same place and eventually it will snap. If your |
| as reaching up or out. The rotator cuff is susceptible to | | | | rotator cuff snaps you are looking at major surgery |
| injury as we age and if we do a job or sports activity | | | | and a long recovery period and you will still end up |
| that involves a lot of overhead activity. | | | | doing the therapy that could have sorted your shoulder |
| If you injure these muscles it is vital to rest them initially | | | | out in the first place. |
| as continuing to use these muscles when they are | | | | So don't self diagnose when it comes to rotator cuff |
| already inflamed can cause serious injury. Any | | | | pain. Make sure you get a professional opinion on the |
| inflammation needs to be treated with non-steroidal | | | | injury and then get the right kind of exercise |
| drugs such as Ibuprofen. Ice packs will also help in | | | | programme to do when the problem has settled down. |