1. Rotator Cuffs
The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles (though it's sometimes considered the group of 4 tendons) that stabilize and move the shoulder. These muscles, the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and the subscapularis muscles, must work in relative harmony for the shoulder to function properly and without pain. Throw into this mix an array of jutting shoulder bones in the area and you have a recipe for shoulder pain.
2. Pain Off the Cuff
While muscle surrounds almost all of the human body's bones, in the case of the rotator cuff, the bones surround the muscle like a protective cage. When the muscles of the shoulder become swollen or inflamed they begin to impinge on the bone, creating a painful and eventually destructive rubbing known as Impingement Syndrome. This is one of the most common and most treatable kinds of rotator cuff pain and can be easily diagnosed by a doctor.
3. Feel Like You Pitched Nine Innings?
Two other forms of common rotator cuff pain stem from bursitis and tendinitis. Tendinitis is the fairly familiar condition of damage, irritation or swelling in one of the body's many tendons. Since the rotator cuff has some large tendons, it's susceptible to the condition. Bursitis is the inflammation of a small fluid filled sack called the bursa, which acts as a sort of lubrication mechanism between tissue. Even though there are 160 bursas in the body, some of the biggest ones are at the shoulder, making it a common cause for significant shoulder pain. In the best of cases (bursitis that doesn't stem from infection), ice and rest is good enough to cure the pain. In cases of infection, a doctor needs to prescribe a specific course of treatment to deal with the condition.
4. Give Yourself the Cold Shoulder
It turns out the old saying "the cold shoulder" is more accurate than some sufferers of rotator cuff pain would like it to be. Frozen shoulder is the scarring or inflammation of the capsule that surrounds the shoulder. Since frozen shoulder, one of the more serious shoulder conditions, is caused by not treating shoulder injuries, bursitis, tendinitis or other shoulder problems, it's critical that you attend to any kind of shoulder pain immediately so you don't end up giving yourself the cold shoulder.
5. Shrug Pain Away
Having healthy, pain free rotator cuff and shoulders does not mean you'll always have carefree shoulders. Since rotator cuff and shoulder injuries can pop up out of nowhere, the important thing to do is shoulder stretches on a daily basis by extending your arms and making wide circles. Bending your elbow and "flapping" your arms like a bird is also a good way to warm the shoulder up for a day of work. However, if you want reliable, pain-free shoulders, a well-designed training program is a must.
