Your shoulder is in agony and you’re wondering why. Could it be a rotator cuff injury? What are rotator cuff injuries?
Rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that join around the shoulder joint at the top of the upper arm bone above the elbow. All of those together form a ”cuff” that holds your arm in place. It also allows it to move in different directions. That makes it a greatly mobile joint, but also a rather weak one. If you stress it too much the muscles can tear, even just partially, and the swelling from that stresses the tendons of the rotator cuff. If the stress is abrupt it can make the tendons to pull away from the bone or tear in the middle of the tendon. This is what is commonly known as a rotator cuff tear.
Athletes
Athletes like baseball pitchers tend to suffer from these, but everyday people can suffer from a rotator cuff tear by everyday mishaps like falling on your shoulder, using your arm to break a fall or by lifting something very heavy. You’ll know it by the pain in your shoulder and arm, weakness and tenderness in the shoulder, difficulty moving it and snapping or crackling sounds in the shoulder. If it happens suddenly, you may feel intense pain, feel or hear a pop and have immediate weakness in the arm.
Physical therapy
After its diagnosed treatment can be as serious as surgery. Often it’s physical therapy, either before and after surgery, or instead of surgery. Your doctor will know what the best course of treatment should be, and your physical therapist can definitely help. They can also help you with a plan to strengthen your shoulder after treatment to avoid future injury.
If you are looking for a great physical therapy company in Denver, schedule a FREE Pain Evaluation TODAY!
