Knowledge is key in preventing rotator cuff injuries at He's Fit

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Knowledge is key in preventing rotator cuff injuries

Posted June 7, 2007 at 09:30 AM by Courtney Albon

Section: His Fitness, Injuries & Rehab, His Health

Injury, however painful, can be an enlightening experience. Most people have no idea what the rotator cuff is, let alone it’s function or importance, until, like my dad, they notice a sharp pain when swinging a golf club or go to reach for an item at the top of the shelf and are surprised at their limited range of motion.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles in the shoulder that work together to allow shoulder movement for activities such as throwing a baseball, swinging a tennis racket, scratching your back or any other activity that requires movement from the shoulder. The muscles responsible for rotating the shoulder outwards are the infraspinatus, teres minor and supraspinatus and the muscle that serves to rotate the shoulder inwards is called the subscapularis. Each of these four muscles assists the ligaments in stabilizing the shoulder joint.

Just as most other muscles in the body, the rotator cuff can sustain an injury either from the strain of a repeated motion or from a specific injury such as a pull or a fall. Rotator cuff injuries are common in tennis players as their dependence on the shoulder muscles places high demands on the rotator cuff and often lead to overuse of the rotator cuff.

Injuries to the rotator cuff can come either in the form of a tear or an inflammation of the tendons, known as tendonitis. Chronic tears develop over time and are common among athletes who rely on significant overhead movement while acute tears happen when the rotator cuff is under sudden, unprecedented strain such as heavy lifting. Tears are also the more serious injury and, if left untreated, usually require surgical attention. Someone with a tear in his rotator cuff may experience the following symptoms:

Gradual pain in the shoulder followed by prolonged weakness
Pain that worsens at night and often interferes with sleep
Difficulty with certain arm movements, severely impairing range of motion
Muscle spasms
Tenderness over the area of the tear

Tendonitis, or an inflammation of the rotator muscles, is a more common injury because it develops slowly and, along with being common among athletes, is also linked to bad posture. Some of the symptoms connected to tendonitis are:

Gradual pain that accelerates with increased movements
Tenderness in the affected area
Deep ache on the outside of the upper arm
Pain when doing activities such as turning a screwdriver or soda cap.

Prevention is, of course, the ideal way to avoid injuries to the rotator cuff and one of the best ways to prevent the more chronic forms of injury is to address the pain in its early stages. Athletes who work on strengthening their core and upper body muscles build a strong support system for their rotator cuff that will work to defend against injury.

If injury has already occurred, it’s important to talk to a professional who can give advice specific to the injury. It’s recommended that the shoulder is iced for 2 to 4 days a week and, once the severity of the injury lessens, heat may be applied.

Reports show that 40% to 90% of individuals experience full recovery without surgery and 94% of those who have surgery are able to function normally after recovery.
Injury to the rotator cuff, if located and treated right away, does not have to be a significant hindrance to an active lifestyle.

Research sources and for more information: [eMedicineHealth], [Men’s Health Magazine], [ACC], [Mayo Clinic]

PHOTO: Courtesy of ShoulderDoc.co.uk