| The one thing that all shoulder injuries have in common | | | | who works overhead a lot such as painters and |
| is that at some point you are going to have to | | | | decorators. A Chronic tear is caused by tendons |
| exercise your injured shoulder to get it working | | | | getting rubbed against bone in our shoulder. It tends |
| properly again. It is up to you whether this is instead | | | | to start gradually with you experiencing pain at night |
| of an operation or after an operation. | | | | and the pain gradually gets worse over time as the |
| The one thing that all shoulder injuries have in common | | | | tendon gets more and more frayed. The shoulder |
| is that at some point you are going to have to | | | | graduall;y gets weaker and you will start to experience |
| exercise your injured shoulder in order to get it pain | | | | pain as you raise your arm. A tendon can snap |
| free and moving again. It is up to you whether this is | | | | completely if this condition is ignored but this is fairly |
| instead of an operation or after an operation. | | | | uncommon simply because most people seek help |
| I tore my rotator cuff lifting some furniture that was | | | | because of the pain. |
| too heavy resulting in too much force being put on my | | | | If you have a chronic tear you will again need to focus |
| rotator cuff tendons in my left shoulder. They tore. I | | | | on bringing dowm the inflammation and managing the |
| know that because I heard them go. Just a quiet pop | | | | pain. Trying to avoid painful movements will help but |
| but I knew that I had done something bad. What I | | | | in order to rehabilitate a chronic tear you need to deal |
| had was an acute tear. It comes about as the result | | | | with the underlying problem. If this is age related, |
| of a sudden force. You can also end up with an | | | | exercises to improve posture will help. Again Pilates |
| acute tear as the result of a knock or fall but the most | | | | and Yoga based exercises are good as they focus |
| common cause is through sports, specifically sports | | | | on control and flexibility and also tend to improve |
| where you are throwing which is why rotator cuff | | | | core strength which can directly improve your |
| syndrome is sometimes called pitchers shoulder. | | | | posture. Get your posture back to how it should be |
| With an acute tear you need to immobilise your | | | | and healthy shoulders quickly follow. |
| shoulder for a while to let it heal before you begin any | | | | My main tip for getting your shoulder back to full |
| king of shoulder rehab exercise. Using a sling is great | | | | working order is rest. Do not ignore this one tip like I |
| but definitely avoid any action that causes pain or | | | | did which is why I ended up in pain for six months and |
| discomfort or you will end up making the injury worse | | | | facing surgery. |
| probably needing corrective surgery. You also need | | | | Whatever you did to injure yoru shoulder carrying on |
| to treat the inflammation using ice packs and | | | | regardless will make it worse. Resting your shoulder is |
| anti-inflammatory drugs. If the pain carries on for | | | | not easy, especially if it is your dominant arm simply |
| more than a couple of days see your doctor who | | | | because you use your arms all the time and |
| may decide to administer a steroid injection to reduce | | | | consequently are using your shoulder as well. Change |
| inflammation. When the inflammation and pain have | | | | the way in which you work to avoid any movement |
| subsided you can start exercises to build up and | | | | that causes pain. Simple things like moving things on |
| strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. These will often | | | | your desk at work can make a huge difference as |
| be pilates or Yoga based as they focus on restoring | | | | can giving up driving for a few weeks. Not |
| control and flexibility as well as strength which is vital to | | | | convenient but it will definitely help in the long run. |
| avoid future problems. | | | | Only when the inflammation and pain has subsided is it |
| A chronic tear on the other hand comes about through | | | | safe to start shoulder rehab exercises. |
| wear and tear. It usually occurs in the over forties as | | | | And once your shoulder is better, keep up the |
| our posture changes but can also happen to anyone | | | | exercises and keep your shoulders strong. |