If you're experiencing any type of shoulder pain or discomfort, you should contact your doctor for an evaluation. The shoulder is a complicated group of 4 muscles that support the ball-and-socket shoulder joint to maintain proper form. The rotator cuff protects the shoulder from excessive forces and twists to keep it in position.
When you twist your shoulder, the rotator cuff can get forced out of alignment causing the injury. A sudden jarring shoulder injury will cause or severely stress the rotator cuff, which may require surgery.
It's estimated that over 50% of rotator cuff injuries occur during the season. They are more common in football players and military personnel. This is because they have to rotate their arm many times throughout the game. Other sports also increase the chance for this injury. Swimming, mountain climbing and skiing can all cause rotator injuries.
Rotator cuff injuries can happen at any age. Some people are at higher risk than others. You should take a look at your own shoulder to see if you have any tears, stiffness or soreness. A small muscle tears may be more noticeable. Some people have very small tears while other people experience a much larger tear.
Sometimes, a tear in a tendon can cause a shoulder injury. This is more common in people who overuse their muscles. A muscle strain is another common cause of an injury. One common cause of muscle strains is lifting improperly. If you do too many repetitions of a particular exercise, you can injure yourself.
Rotator cuff injuries are often caused by repetitive motions, such as overhead throwing, overhead swinging, or overhead jumping. Other causes include: aging, poor form or posture, overuse, injury from previous injuries or illness, repetitive motion, poor exercise, and poor mechanics. When someone tears a rotator cuff it usually affects one or more of the muscles. It may cause pain, stiffness, swelling and limited range of motion. In rare cases, the injured muscle may also be unable to produce enough force to stabilize the shoulder and cause a dislocation.
Pain from a shoulder injury doesn't always indicate a tear. Sometimes, a tear may not show up until a physical therapist examines the injury. An x-ray may show damage to the cartilage between the ball and socket of the shoulder.
If you experience pain from a shoulder injury, see your doctor for a thorough evaluation. Your doctor may recommend rest, immobilization, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. He may recommend surgery if your pain lasts longer than a few days. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Physical therapy and exercise are both recommended to strengthen the affected muscles and help prevent a recurrence of the injury.
The most common rotator cuff tears involve the rotator cuff muscles and tendons. They are found in the upper part of the shoulder. When the shoulder starts hurting, move it gently. Make sure the pain doesn't get worse. Do some light stretching to release tension.
The rotator cuff muscle is responsible for the movement of the shoulder joint. The muscles are found in the front of the shoulder. When the shoulder moves, the muscles contract. This causes them to stretch and lengthen.
Your doctor may want to perform a physical examination to determine if there is a tear or if the injury is due to a muscle pull. An orthopedic doctor will use a gloved finger to feel around the shoulder and possibly the elbow for signs of damage to the muscles. The doctor may feel the muscle, tendons and joints to determine if there is a problem. A physical therapist can perform an exam to assess the injury.
If your doctor detects damage to the rotator cuff muscle or tendon, you may want to consider surgery to correct it. The surgeon can perform a surgery called arthroscopic shoulder surgery that involves removing the torn tendon and muscle and replacing it with a new muscle.
