Rotator cuff is a term commonly used to describe a related group of muscles and tendons in the joint between your shoulder blade and the ball of your humerus bone. Injuries to the rotator cuff can reduce your ability to properly lift your arm, reach for objects or make certain sports-related motions. In most cases, you can recover from these types of injuries with the help of an appropriate rehabilitation program.
Types of Injury
There are four main forms of rotator cuff injury. If you overuse your shoulder or experience a direct injury, you can tear a cuff tendon or muscle. If you overuse your shoulder joint, you can irritate or damage your cuff tendons and develop a condition called tendinitis. Overuse can also trigger inflammation in a cushioning sac next to your rotator cuff called a bursa, leading to a condition called bursitis. The fourth type of injury, called impingement, occurs when your tendons or bursa repeatedly rub against a section of your shoulder blade called the acromion.
Rotator Cuff Tears
Some people receive nonsurgical treatment for a rotator cuff tear, while others require surgical repair. If you undergo nonsurgical treatment, common rehabilitation protocols call for stretching and strengthening exercises after pain and inflammation in your shoulder are brought under control. If you undergo a surgical repair, rehabilitation protocols commonly call for stretching and strengthening exercises soon after your procedure to prevent the buildup of motion-restricting scar tissue. Typically, you will warm up before these exercises, ice your shoulder and take anti-inflammatory medications afterward. The most effective exercises specifically target the different muscles inside your rotator cuff.
Tendinitis, Bursitis and Impingement
You may also receive nonsurgical or surgical treatment for rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis or impingement. After nonsurgical treatment, rehabilitation protocols first call for exercises designed to increase your shoulder's range of motion and reduce your pain. After your pain levels drop, you physical therapist will have you perform additional exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles. The precise rehabilitation protocol following surgical treatment is determined by the results of your procedure. As with nonsurgical rehab, your program will include some form of exercise to increase your shoulder strength and flexibility.
Results and Considerations
It can take you several months to recover from a rotator cuff tear, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports. It can also take months, or as long as a year, to recover from rotator cuff tendinitis, bursitis or impingement. If you have difficulty with any aspect of your rehabilitation program, tell your surgeon and physical therapist; they will likely be able to effectively modify your routine. People who undergo surgery for a rotator cuff tear commonly need to permanently avoid lifting heavy objects, playing contact sports or participating in other shoulder-intensive activities.
