| People with rotator cuff injuries should treat this as a | | | | the correct exercises that can help heal and |
| very serious condition. If you don't treat this problem | | | | strengthen the damaged tissue in the arm. How bad |
| soon you could lose most of the movement in your | | | | the rotator cuff injuries are will determine how long the |
| arm and your shoulder may become weak. Rotator | | | | time of recovery is. It may ultimately take anywhere |
| cuff pain can be very severe. For athletes and | | | | form several weeks to several months for your |
| laborers this could be a very big problem. There are | | | | shoulder to heal. |
| certain steps you can take that doctors insist that you | | | | Rotator cuff injuries can also be treated with steroids. |
| pursue. | | | | The steroids are administered with a shot to your |
| The first thing you need to do is keep moving your | | | | rotator cuff directly. These injections help to take |
| arm; if you don't allow movement, you may cause stiff | | | | down the swelling and inflammation; this allows more |
| joints. | | | | time for physical therapy to bring back strength to the |
| The second thing that doctors will tell you to do is take | | | | patients arm. Steroids will not heal any part of the |
| anti-inflammatory drugs; aspirin and Ibuprofen should | | | | injury, just help with the swelling. |
| help to keep down the swelling, relieve pain and ease | | | | If any or all other types of treatments fail, surgery may |
| inflammation. | | | | be recommended. Several other factors may also |
| Activities that could be uncomfortable and or painful to | | | | effect whether you have surgery or not. Age of the |
| you are strongly advised against. Movements such as | | | | patient, condition of the fibers and tendons in the |
| reaching up or back, like when you brush your hair, are | | | | shoulder and the overall health of the patient are some |
| some things that you should not do. | | | | of the factors. If the fibers and tendons are frayed or |
| For rotator cuff injuries, your doctor may recommend | | | | even torn you will not make a good candidate for |
| physical therapy. A physical therapist will instruct you in | | | | surgery. |