According to Sports Injury Clinic, the rotator cuff is a set of muscles that provide support to the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is therefore responsible for the ability of your shoulder to rotate. Rotator cuff tears or injuries are pretty common shoulder injuries, especially among athletes and people who tend to exercise a lot. Injuries concerning the old rotator cuff muscles can be classified into two categories--muscles and/or tendon tear, and joint inflammation. An old rotator cuff tear has several signs.
Pain, Tenderness and Swelling
One of the main complaints of a person with an old rotator cuff tear is pain, says the Patient Education Institute, Inc. This pain can be felt on the affected shoulder, and it usually exacerbates when being moved or when being slept on. The Sports Injury Clinic characterizes this pain as sudden, like the shoulder is being torn off. This pain can persist for a few days due to muscle spasm and bleeding. There is also tenderness on the exact spot where the rupture or tear is located, assessed by the clinician through palpation. The physician will also compare both shoulders visually to see if one is inflamed or swollen.
Limited Mobility
Since there is the presence of pain, the Sports Injury Clinic reports that the shoulder will have limited movement. A person with an old rotator cuff tear will not be able to move his or her shoulder as much as normal. This can be assessed by a physician through a series of range of motion exercises in which the person will need to report if these exercises induce pain. However, these exercises will not be done if a fracture is suspected. To rule out a fracture, an MRI or an ultrasound will probably be done since it can show both partial and complete rotator cuff injuries. Aside from these active exercises, passive range of motion exercises will also be done by the clinician. The person with an old rotator cuff injury will also be interviewed for any difficulty in doing normal day-today activities involving the shoulders, such as reaching behind the back or combing one's hair, states a 1994 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Weakness
A physician will also assess the strength of the arm involved, says the Sports Injury Clinic website. The doctor will ask the patient to raise his or her arm over the head. The inability to raise the arm and sustain it can be a sign of an old rotator cuff tear.
