Rotator Cuff Injuries
Joe Fleming provides a quick guide to understanding how a rotator cuff works, what common rotator cuff injuries are, and how to treat them.
Few bodily components play as big a role as your rotator cuffs when it comes to using your arms.
What is a Rotator Cuff?
The rotator cuff is one of your body's essential tendons and muscles. It is responsible for holding the head of your upper arm bone (humerus) in the shoulder socket (glenoid clavicle). It is called a "cuff" because it rises off the shoulder blade (scapula) and attaches to the head of the humerus, forming a cuff.
The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder and facilitates its wide range of motion, including internal and external rotation and abduction, where the arm moves out and away from the body's trunk.
Common Rotator Cuff Injuries
Unfortunately, rotator cuff injuries are common because of the location in the body and the frequent use of the shoulder and arm. People who perform overhead motions in their sport or job are most at risk for developing rotator cuff injuries; think baseball pitchers, painters, firefighters, volleyball players, swimmers, tennis players, carpenters, etc. Heavy lifting over a prolonged period can also lead to rotator cuff disease, as can a sudden, substantial injury you might sustain in a car accident or with a fall.
Researchers have additionally found genetic factors that might increase a person's risk of experiencing rotator cuff degeneration. Age also plays an important role (as the older you get, the higher your chances are of tearing your rotator cuff), and a 2010 study revealed that cigarette smoking increases the risk for rotator cuff tears.
Rotator cuff injuries can range from a bit of inflammation to complete ruptures. Injuries may include:
Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Tendons are tough, fibrous strands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. When the tendons of the rotator cuff become inflamed, they can rub against the shoulder blade instead of fluidly gliding against it. This friction can exacerbate swelling and cause dull, aching pain, stiffness, and a limited range of motion.
Torn Rotator Cuff
A torn rotator cuff can be painful and severely restrict arm movement. At the end of the rotator cuff muscles, the tendons can incur microscopic to complete lateral tears either with a sudden traumatic injury or over time from long-term overuse. Research shows that many torn rotator cuffs are asymptomatic, which means the tears, or lesions, are small enough not to "be felt" yet. This makes early diagnosis even more critical.
Bursitis
The bursa sac usually protects the tendons of the rotator cuff, allowing them to glide and move smoothly when you use your shoulder. When the fluid-filled bursa sac that rests between the tip of the shoulder and the top of the arm bone becomes inflamed, it can cause friction and pinch with specific shoulder movements, resulting in pain. Everything from overuse to infection and even health conditions like arthritis and diabetes can contribute to bursitis.
Shoulder Impingement
Related to tendonitis and bursitis, shoulder impingement occurs when the inflamed tendons and bursa become so swollen that they severely narrow the space in the shoulder joint for movement and become pinched between the bones.
Diagnosing Rotator Cuff Injuries
IIn addition to a manual exam, in which your physician or sports medicine specialist evaluates your shoulder by touching it and having you move your arm, your doctor may also conduct imaging tests to get a better picture of what is going on inside.
X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) can all be used to help diagnose a rotator cuff injury and, in some cases, compare the structure of your injured shoulder to the structure of your uninjured one. If something like bursitis is suspected, the doctor may also aspirate or remove fluid from the swollen bursa to test for infection or other underlying conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
Treating Rotator Cuff Injuries
Treating rotator cuff injuries always begins with conservative measures like:
- Resting the affected shoulder
- Applying ice packs regularly
- Undergoing physical therapy
These methods can be combined with over-the-counter painkillers, supportive orthotic aids like shoulder braces, and steroid injections. Most often, recovery like this allows your body to heal the shoulder itself, reducing inflammation and repairing tissue to prevent surgery.
Physical therapy
Complete and safe shoulder recovery requires physical therapy exercises. These exercises start with low-intensity assistive passive exercises, like shoulder rotations, and work up to active exercises, like resistance training, which further strengthen the arm, reduce pain, and improve range of motion.
Physical therapists might employ lightweight dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, weights, and cable crossovers. Simple movements like raising the arms above your head, moving them out from your body, and rotating them in tight circles will help target shoulder-related muscle groups to restore flexibility and strength. The end goal is to be able to exercise without the assistance of a physical therapist and, of course, without any pain.
Surgical Options
In severe rotator cuff injuries, surgical intervention is the only route to repair the shoulder successfully. Depending on the type of injury, surgeons may reattach a damaged tendon to your bone, replace a badly damaged tendon with another one from nearby, or administer a total shoulder replacement with an artificial joint.
Full recovery from a shoulder injury depends on the severity and type of injury and treatment, i.e. with or without surgery. Rehabilitation can take anywhere from a couple of months to a year, which seems lengthy, but as the shoulder is one of the most crucial joints in the body, it is worth it.
Preventing Rotator Cuff Injuries
To guard your shoulder against rotator cuff injuries, experts recommend simple steps like warming up before exercise, taking breaks during repetitive overhead motions, regularly stretching your arms and shoulders, and doing slow, controlled, low-resistance exercises. Early diagnosis can help you prevent an existing injury worse, so if you suspect rotator cuff damage or inflammation, see your doctor for an evaluation.
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- FLEMING, J. (2018) Rotator Cuff Injuries [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article376.htm [Accessed 12/5/2025]
About the Author
Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Passionate about healthy lifestyles and living a full life, he enjoys sharing and expressing these interests through his writing. To inspire others and fight ageism, Joe writes to help people of all backgrounds and ages overcome life's challenges. His work ranges from articles on wellness, holistic health, and ageing to social narratives, motivational pieces, and news stories. For Joe, helping others is vital.
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