Rotator Cuff Tears

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that insert around the shoulder. The provide movement and stability to the shoulder joint. If they become torn, either due to injury or due to wear and tear, they will cause shoulder pain. The shoulder joint will become inflamed (often called tendonitis) and will feel painful and weak.

Common Causes

Common sports that cause rotator cuff injuries:

• Tennis
• Baseball
• Badminton
• Golf

Common Signs & Symptoms

Following this injury the common signs and symptoms are:

• Pain around the shoulder joint
• Pain down the arm, sometime as far as the hand
• Weakness in the shoulder

Condition Management

What should be done following this injury:

• Consult your Doctor or Physical therapist
• Use ice or a reusable cold pack to reduce pain and swelling (the recommended time is 10 minutes on with 1 hour off). Never apply ice directly to the skin.
• Use shoulder support to restrict movement

Your physical therapist will assess you and provide you with advice to help reduce the inflammation in the joint. They will also instruct you on a specific exercise program to undertake to help strengthen your shoulder and improve your pain. In some cases it may be necessary to be referred on to an orthopaedic consultant to have an operation to repair the torn muscle.