| Just because you have torn your rotator cuff, it does | | | | to impingement which basically means that your |
| not automatically mean that you are going to need | | | | tendons are getting caught against or pinched by bone |
| surgery. Rotator cuffs get injured in a variety of ways | | | | every time that you move in a certain way. Lifting your |
| and each injury can be different depending on how it | | | | arm above your shoulder will be painful, reaching |
| occurred in the first place. | | | | behind you will be painful, you'll probably find that |
| If you think of the tendons of the rotator cuff as | | | | sleeping is difficult because you can't lie on your injured |
| resembling a piece of old tow rope, I say old simply | | | | arm. |
| because that's how my rotator cuff felt when I tore it. | | | | Listen to the message that your body is sending |
| If you tow too many cars with the rope or allow it to | | | | because each pain is a sign of further damage being |
| rub against something sharp, it may start to fray, | | | | done. You need to rest the shoulder, avoiding any |
| getting worn a bit and consequently weaken. | | | | movement that causes pain. |
| On the other hand if you try towing something that is | | | | Rotator cuff tear treatment will involve rest to allow |
| too heavy, you will stretch the rope, pulling the fibres | | | | the muscle to start healing, combined with treating the |
| apart. Pull away too quickly and put a sudden strain on | | | | inflammation. Try using anti-inflammatory drugs like |
| a tow rope and it might simply snap or come away | | | | Ibuprofen, if that doesn't work a steroid injection may |
| from the car. | | | | be called for. You can also treat the injury with ice |
| The same can happen to the tendons of the rotator | | | | packs to reduce inflammation. |
| cuff. You can just wear them out with repetitive injury, | | | | Once the inflammation has subsided movement will |
| you can overload them and pull the fibres apart or if | | | | become easier. It will not be perfect straight away and |
| you are really unlucky you can end up snapping them | | | | that is where exercise comes in to help to strengthen |
| completely. | | | | the rotator cuff muscles and get the shoulder moving |
| Virtually all complete tears will require surgery. If you | | | | again. This will be low resistance exercise aimed at |
| have managed to detach the tendon from the bone | | | | isolating the muscles of the rotator cuff. Using large |
| you will certainly be looking at surgery to reconnect it. | | | | weights will simply get the major muscles working and |
| Fortunately, most or nearly all partial rotator cuff tears | | | | either ignore or at worst damage the cuff muscles. |
| can be sorted out without resorting to surgery, | | | | The good news is that, because of that, a lot of these |
| providing you take them seriously right from the start | | | | exercises are suitable to be done at home. |
| and don't try working through them. | | | | Treat a rotator cuff tear properly and you can be |
| A rotator cuff tear, even a small one, can lead to | | | | back to a pain free shoulder easily and quickly, ignore it |
| inflammation of the tendons. The inflammation can lead | | | | and you might as well book surgery straight away. |