Signs of Rotator cuff injury and treatment

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder that worsens at night.

Rotator cuff injuries are common and increase with age. These injuries may occur earlier in people who have jobs that require repeatedly performing overhead motions, such as painters and carpenters.

Physical therapy exercises can improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. For many people with rotator cuff problems, these exercises are all that's needed to manage their symptoms.

Sometimes, rotator cuff tears may occur from a single injury. In those circumstances, people should seek medical advice quickly because they might need surgery.

Symptoms
The pain associated with a rotator cuff injury may:

Be described as a dull ache deep in the shoulder
Disturb sleep
Make it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back
Be accompanied by arm weakness
Some rotator cuff injuries don't cause pain.

Treatment
Conservative treatments such as rest, ice and physical therapy sometimes are all that's needed to recover from a rotator cuff injury. If your injury is severe, you might need surgery.

Therapy
Physical therapy is usually one of the first treatments suggested. Exercises tailored to the specific location of your rotator cuff injury can help restore flexibility and strength to your shoulder. Physical therapy is also an important part of the recovery process after rotator cuff surgery.
Injections
A steroid injection into the shoulder joint might be helpful, especially if the pain is interfering with sleep, daily activities or physical therapy. While such shots often provide temporarily relief, they also can weaken the tendon and reduce the success of future shoulder surgery.

For more information consult our expert Dr Ritesh Khokhar at Fortis Hospital