Rotator Cuff Injury - 4 Major Risk Factors You Should Know About

Most people will have a rotator cuff injury at some- Do you have a job that requires you to lift your arm
point in their life. It is a fact of life that is undeniable,repeatedly or pull heavy objects? The constant
because of the aging process. However, there arerepetitive movement overhead causes wear and tear
people involved in certain activities that may put themof your shoulder and may even cause inflammation of
at higher risk of a shoulder injury.your rotator cuff from overuse. The inflammation you
So, why are shoulder injuries so common? If you thinkhave may cause tendonitis, bursitis or impingement,
about it, the shoulder joint is the only joint in your bodywhich are all different types of a rotator cuff injury.
that is able to rotate 360 degrees. It is a very elegantNurses, construction workers, car mechanics and
joint that enables a gymnast to swing from parallelpeople who stock warehouses, are some jobs that
bars and rings in the Olympics, and a mom to lift hermay put you at higher risk of acquiring a shoulder
baby into a car seat. The ability to move your shoulderinjury.
in extreme positions is the very same reason you are- Athletes who are involved in sports that require
very susceptible to a rotator cuff injury.overuse of their arm, are also more susceptible to
As mentioned before, there are certain people that aregetting shoulder injuries. People who play tennis,
at higher risk of a rotator cuff injury. If you arevolleyball, kayaking, weight lifting, and baseball are more
wondering if you are one of them, read on and findat risk of injuring their shoulder. The injury may start
out.with simple inflammation of the tendons, or tendonitis. If
4 Major Risk Factors You Should Know Aboutrest and appropriate treatment is not implemented, the
- If you are a smoker, you are at higher risk of ainjury may progress to a tear.
shoulder injury. According to the American Board of- People who are 40 years of age, or older, are more
Orthopedic Surgeons, smoking inhibits the production ofat risk of having a shoulder injury also. When one ages,
fibroblasts which are the healing cells of connectivetheir is natural wear and tear of your rotator cuff
tissue. Connective tissue is what your rotator cuff istendons from day to day use. This causes your
made of. Having less fibroblasts means poor circulationshoulder tendons to get weaker, and therefore, more
to your shoulder, and slower healing. If you have asusceptible to a rotator cuff injury.
shoulder injury, you might consider not smoking.