| Rotator cuff injuries can vary quite dramatically in their | | | | to the front or side will result in a sharp pain at the top |
| severity. Shoulder specific exercises will feature to | | | | outer edge of the shoulder. It is important to avoid any |
| some extent in all types of treatment for rotator cuff | | | | movement that causes pain as this is a sign of further |
| injuries. What differs is how much time should pass | | | | damage being done to the tendons. If you ignore a |
| before you should start the exercise. | | | | shoulder impingement and try to work through it, you |
| Shoulder Tendonitis for example is simply an | | | | may well end up with a rotator cuff tear where the |
| inflammation of one or more of the four muscles that | | | | tendon frays and becomes damaged. This is a much |
| make up the rotator cuff. This is usually caused by | | | | worse injury that will require a longer recovery time. |
| over exertion. The muscle become inflamed and | | | | Where an impingement does not respond to |
| aches when you move it. Typical symptoms include an | | | | conservative treatment it may require surgery to free |
| aching or sore shoulder and some discomfort when | | | | up the impingement and allow healing to start. |
| moving. Shoulder tendonitis is treated with rest, ice | | | | As previously mentioned, a rotator cuff tear can come |
| packs or anti-inflammatory drugs. Most cases of | | | | about as a result of a shoulder impingement. They can |
| tendonitis will clear up in a matter of days. It is | | | | also come about as the result of a knock or fall. Tears |
| worthwhile starting some shoulder conditioning | | | | can be a partial tear where only a percentage of the |
| exercises to help to avoid future injuries. If the | | | | tendon is damaged or a full thickness tear where the |
| symptoms persist much past three days, get it | | | | tendon has actually been severed or snapped. |
| checked out by a professional. | | | | Conservative treatment is again tried first. Rest, ice, |
| Depending on which tendon is inflamed Tendonitis can | | | | anti-inflammatory drugs followed by shoulder specific |
| develop into a shoulder impingement. The | | | | exercises to strengthen the shoulder. Again the |
| supraspinatus muscle runs through a channel of bone | | | | timescales will be considerably longer. |
| at the top of the shoulder. If this become inflamed it | | | | Some tears will require surgery to either initiate a repair |
| can result in a shoulder impingement. The inflamed | | | | or to tidy up the tear to facilitate better healing. |
| tendon gets pinched or trapped in the channel of bone. | | | | Depending on someone's level of activity with the |
| Conservative treatment for this is much the same | | | | damaged arm, some people, mainly older people are |
| except the timescales are longer and the | | | | able to function pain free with a torn rotator cuff. |
| anti-inflammatory drugs may include steroid injections | | | | So, however you have damaged it, rest is the best |
| to reduce inflammation. Exercises to strengthen the | | | | treatment for rotator cuff injuries, make sure that you |
| shoulder will be the final stage in treatment. Typical | | | | treat the inflammation properly and then exercise to |
| symptoms are pain and stiffness in the shoulder | | | | strengthen the shoulder making sure that any exercise |
| accompanied by muscle weakness. Raising your arm | | | | is pain free. |