The rotator cuff consists of the muscles and tendons that connect your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade. A rotator cuff injury may occur while lifting, falling or performing repetitive arm movements, such as washing walls, throwing a ball or placing items on shelves. Home therapy may allow you to treat your rotator cuff injury without the need for surgical intervention.
Symptoms
Tenderness and pain in the shoulder often result from a rotator cuff injury. This pain may occur any time you lie on your shoulder or use your arm for reaching, pulling or pushing. Other symptoms include shoulder weakness, decreased mobility of the shoulder and the desire to keep your shoulder still. Contact your doctor if you experience severe shoulder pain, cannot use your arm, feel weakness throughout your arm or have shoulder pain that lasts longer than a week.
Types
Therapy may consist of having a physical therapist or occupational therapist treat you at home. Therapists often make recommendations for shoulder range-of-motion exercises and shoulder-strengthening exercises. Do not perform exercises for an injured rotator cuff until you know the proper technique. Heath Brown, a physical therapist at Rehabilitation Today in Bradford, Pennsylvania, explains that improper technique will only worsen your injury. He advises starting with range of motion exercises that focus the rotator cuff muscles. When range of motion exercises become easy, turn these exercises into strengthening exercises by adding a small amount of weight. Increase the amount of weight you use each week by 2 oz., as long as it does not cause pain, Health advises. Perform strengthening and stretching exercises three to five times a week.
Prevention/Solution
Rotator cuff exercises may cause you slight discomfort or soreness, but not pain. If you feel pain, stop the exercise. Pain relievers, ice and heat may help reduce the pain in your shoulder enough to allow you to perform range of motion or strengthening exercises. Brown explains that pain during exercise can indicate a worsening of your condition. Apply ice for 20 minutes after each exercise session to decrease muscle soreness caused by strengthening exercises. Consult your doctor or physical therapist if the exercises prescribed to you causes increased pain.
Considerations
Safety during rotator cuff strengthening and stretching exercises helps prevent further injury. Warm up before an exercise session by performing pendulum exercises, which require you to bend at the waste and allow your arms to move back and forth slowly; lean on a table for support if necessary. The quality of your exercise is more important than the quantity. A slow pace ensures that you perform the exercise safely, using the proper technique. Allow your shoulder to rest between exercises and at any time it feels fatigued.
Time Frame
Home therapy for a rotator cuff injury may require home visits from a physical or occupational therapist for a few weeks or a few months. Your dedication to the prescribed exercise program and the type of rotator cuff injury you sustained will play a role in the time it takes for your injury to heal. Continue shoulder strengthening and stretching exercises even after your shoulder heals to help prevent future rotator cuff injuries.
References
- Heath Brown; physical therapist, Rehabilitation Today; Bradford, Pennsylvania
- MayoClinic.com: Rotator Cuff Injury
- FamilyDoctor.org: Rotator Cuff Exercises
