| iv> | | | | because a work or leisure activity over uses the |
| Four muscles make up the group of muscles called the | | | | muscle. Anyone who throws a baseball repeatedly is |
| rotator cuff that help to keep the top of the arm in | | | | putting strain on these muscles. Any repetitive |
| place in the shoulder joint. If we didn't have them | | | | overhead action like painting can have teh same |
| you would find your shoulder joint dislocating each time | | | | effect. |
| that you tried lifting anything. All four of these | | | | A tear in the rotator cuff has specific symptom such |
| muscles connect to the shoulder blade or scapula at | | | | as weakness in the arm, pain when doing certain |
| one end and the upper arm or humerus at the other | | | | movements, especially reaching up or behind you. |
| and surround the shoulder forming a cuff of muscle | | | | The test for a tear will usually involve getting someone |
| around the shoulder joint, hence the name. | | | | to gently push against the doctor's hand whilst |
| The rotator cuff is the name for a group of four | | | | mimicking these movements; if this causes pain then |
| muscles that hold the top of the humerus in place in | | | | you probaly have a torn rotator cuff. |
| the socket of the shoulder joint. If we didn't have | | | | Treatment can vary depending on the age of the |
| them the shoulder would simply dislocate each time | | | | person and the size of the tear. Small or short tears |
| that you tried lifting anything. All these muscles are | | | | are easier to repair and may only need |
| connected to the scapula or shoulder blade at one end | | | | anti-inflammatory drugs and gentle shoulder specific |
| and the humerus or upper arm bone at the other and | | | | exercise, whilst larger tears may involve keyhole |
| form a cuff around the shoulder joint, which is how | | | | surgery to fix the tear or free up space for the |
| they got their name. | | | | inflamed muscle to move more easily reducing or |
| If one or more of these muscles gets torn you have a | | | | eliminating pain altogether. |
| rotator cuff tear either through too much pressure | | | | The younger you are when you have surgery the |
| being put on them or through wear and tear caused | | | | greater the success rate. As you get older the |
| by overuse or just old age. One comparison I have | | | | success rate of shoulder surgery can drop to around |
| heard is that of comparing the rotator cuff muscles to | | | | 60%. It is sometimes worth thinking about what you |
| an old car tow rope. If you try pulling something that | | | | see as a successful outcome. Obviously, if you are a |
| is too heavy the rope can tear or snap and if you | | | | serious sportsperson the best outcome would be a |
| have been using the same tow rope for several years | | | | return to total fitness. On the other hand, if you lead |
| it can start to fray through use. | | | | a fairly sedentary lifestyle the aim may be to be able |
| Cuff Tears sometimes come about through a sudden | | | | to carry out certain everyday tasks and movements |
| trauma. If, for example, you fall and put your arm out | | | | pain free. |
| to catch yourself the sudden load can tear the | | | | Rotator cuff tears come in all shapes and sizes and |
| muscle. Lifting something heavy could have the | | | | so they can vary quite considerably in treatment and |
| same effect but the damage would be different as | | | | prognosis. Physical Therapy will be involved in any |
| the load is likely to be added more evenly and | | | | treatment but it needs to be rotator cuff specific |
| gradually. The muscles and tendons can also just | | | | exercises aimed at strengthening and exercising the |
| wear out through repeated use either through age or | | | | group of muscles without making things worse. |