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Rotator Cuff Disorders: The Facts

There is a great deal of information circulating about the rotator cuff and its disorders. Some of this is misinformation that has been printed in the lay press and unfortunately some of it has been disseminated by medical professionals either through a misunderstanding of current information or a desire to simplify the situation. Somewhere between 50-80% of patients even with full thickness tears can respond at least partially to non-operative treatment. There is no evidence to support the use of platelet rich plasma, human growth hormone or stem cells as a non-operative treatment for rotator cuff tears or as an adjunct to surgery for rotator cuff tears. There are some patients who do…

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 Current Perspectives on Rotator Cuff Disease

Rotator cuff (RC) disease, defined as any pathological state of the rotator cuff, is one of the most common shoulder conditions worldwide. It accounts for 70% of shoulder pain and dysfunction in adults and is the third most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder. Currently, the main issue with rotator cuff disease is that surgery represents the most common treatment performed. However, rotator cuff surgeries have a high failure rate positively correlated with the severity of the tear, and a high re-tear rate.

 Rotator cuff injury: still a clinical controversy?

The rotator cuff mechanism is the primary stabiliser of the gleno-humeral joint and is vulnerable to considerable morbidity because of its anatomy and function. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are responsible for rotator cuff pathology, which is a disease spectrum ranging from inflammation to full thickness tears. The most notable extrinsic factors are impingement and demographic variables, whereas age-related degeneration is the most important intrinsic factor.

 Why Most Rotator Cuff Tears Don't Need Surgery... Why Is That?

What does the science and literature says and why the MRI report you've seen doesn't always mean what you think it does.

Articles of Interest

Rotator Cuff Disorders: Practical Recommendations for Conservative Management Based on the Literature

Conservative management of rotator cuff disorders remains challenging, with no comprehensive, evidence-based framework integrating diagnosis, prognosis, rehabilitation, and biological therapies. Existing recommendations usually address isolated components of care, leading to inconsistent treatment strategies.

The Most Common Rotator Cuff Injury: Supraspinatus Tears

If you've ever experienced shoulder pain, you have probably scoured the internet for the cause and how to treat it. More than likely, you have read about rotator cuff injuries and how they are the most common shoulder ailment. However, the rotator cuff is made up of four muscles, one of which is the supraspinatus, and each muscle is responsible for different shoulder functions.

A guide to the muscles you forget to exercise

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their connected tendons that attach the shoulder blade to the upper arm, stabilizing the shoulder and allowing 360-degree movement. Strengthening the area can prevent shoulder injuries, some of which can lead to permanent loss of function. If you already have shoulder pain or a rotator cuff injury, however, you could exacerbate it by exercising those muscles.

Ancient Moves for Orthopedic Problems

For patients facing surgery to repair a tear in the rotator cuff and many months of rehabilitation, the yoga maneuver can seem almost a miracle. It is especially useful for the elderly, who are often poor candidates for surgery.

Beware of shoulder rotator cuff tears

The good news is that a rotator cuff can be quite resilient. More than 50 percent of rotator cuff injuries can be treated using nonsurgical orthopedic treatments, though this naturally depends on the size and duration of the tear.

Easing Arm and Shoulder Pain From a Rotator Cuff Injury

Rotator cuff injuries are extremely common, especially as we age. The right exercises can speed healing and recovery.

Management of Rotator Cuff Injuries in the Elite Athlete

Conservative management of rotator cuff injuries continues to be the “gold standard” in the elite athlete. This includes a comprehensive rehabilitation program, anti-inflammatories, and corticosteroid injections. Newer treatment techniques such as intramuscular dry needling and the use of biologics such as platelet-rich plasma and stem cells demonstrate early promising results; however, these modalities require further investigation to determine their effectiveness.

Over 40? Your rotator cuff probably looks a little rough

In a study of hundreds of people, MRI images showed that nearly every person scanned had frayed, torn or otherwise abnormal rotator cuff tendons... Those abnormalities didn’t automatically signify problems or a need for surgery, though — they showed up in people with or without symptoms.

Researchers Tap Stem Cells to Heal Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff surgery is a big sacrifice, in time and in pain. Mazzocca is the first to admit it. But if someone has trouble moving his arm, if he’s in pain when he moves, eats, and tries to sleep, he’s usually eager to try to fix it. Fixing it, healing those torn tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff, is the team’s ultimate goal, Mazzocca says. “Someone who hasn’t used his or her arm in 10 to 15 years and you’re able to return that function to them – that’s the big thrill.”

Rotator Cuff Injury, Tear and Strain

Learn treatment and prevention tips for rotator cuff injury, plus effective rotator cuff muscle stretches and exercises.

Rotator Cuff Tear

A complete rotator cuff tear will not heal. Complete ruptures usually require surgery if your goal is to return your shoulder to optimal function.

Rotator Cuff Tears: When Therapy Works and When to Repair

Studies suggest that around three-quarters of patients can achieve good pain relief and functional improvement with non-operative treatment, especially for smaller or degenerative tears.

Rotator Culf Injury

Four tendons attach muscles from the shoulder blade and ribs to the upper arm bone (humerus). Because these tendons help to rotate the arm within its socket, this sleeve of tendons is called the rotator cuff.

Surgery vs. physical therapy for rotator cuff tears

For several years, Therese Glowacki had an unwelcome companion: nagging pain in her right shoulder. It was often quiet, but it barked when she threw, swam, reached out to clean a countertop, extended upward to wipe a window or other routine actions.

The Best Exercise for Strengthening Your Shoulders

Doctors and physical therapists routinely advise against the exercise weightlifters refer to as simply The Press on the false assumption that an injury known as "shoulder impingement" is the inevitable result. Not only is the press perfectly safe for the shoulders -- as evidenced by the fact that shoulder injuries are the least-common injuries for Olympic weightlifters who use the barbell overhead -- but the correctly performed press is the best exercise for keeping shoulders strong.

The Rotator Cuff Explained!

To start with, the rotator cuff is not a thing; it is basically a collection of four muscles that work together to keep the shoulder joint centered in the socket. A fifth muscle, the long head of biceps, while not technically part of the rotator cuff, also plays a major role. Muscles attach to bones via a tendon; the rotator cuff tendons all attach at the front shoulder on the upper arm bone called the humerus.

The Small But Often-Forgotten Protector: The Rotator Cuff

Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal symptoms seen in primary care, with a lifetime prevalence rate of up to 67 percent." The underlying etiology or cause of injury to the RTC group are multifactorial, but my hope is if you understand how important these muscles are and begin to give them some attention in your workouts you can stay out of the that 67 percent.

This Rotator Cuff Workout Will Strengthen and Stabilize Your Shoulders

“The rotator cuff muscles are the stabilizers of the shoulder complex, and they create space within the shoulder joint for optimal movement and guide your mechanics,” Darbouze says. “Without a strong set of rotator cuff muscles, the shoulder doesn’t move the way it’s designed to move. That’s why we feel pain and get angry aches.”

What to do about rotator cuff tendonitis

As we get older, tendon tissue thins out and a tear becomes more likely. Up to one-third of older people with rotator cuff tendonitis have a tear. Minor ones can be treated conservatively, like tendonitis, but major ones may require an operation. Those caused by traumatic injury to the shoulder are often repaired surgically. However, recovery tends to be slow. Many orthopedic surgeons prefer to reserve surgery for younger patients, major tears that are diagnosed early, and older people whose occupations or activities place heavy demands on their shoulders.

Resources

5 Common Misconceptions About Rotator Cuff Injuries

Contrary to popular belief, many rotator cuff injuries can recover without surgery. Conservative care options like rest, ice, and physical therapy are often the first steps taken to treat a rotator cuff injury. Surgery may be recommended if the rotator cuff is completely torn and pain persists after nonsurgical methods. Your doctor can help guide you through the recovery process and help you determine the best course of action to take.

3 Best Exercises for Shoulder Health

When you've been in the fitness industry for a considerable amount of time, it becomes very clear that shoulder-joint health is super important. I don't know any active person that hasn't suffered from either an official injury or at least discomfort in the neck and shoulder area.

My Rotator Cuff

Blog sharing my recovery.

MayoClinic

Extensive rotator cuff tears may require surgical repair, transfer of alternative tendons or joint replacement. At Mayo Clinic, the most common type of joint replacement used for rotator cuff injuries is called a reverse shoulder replacement, because it installs the ball portion of the artificial joint onto the shoulder blade and the socket portion onto the arm.

MedlinePlus

With rotator cuff tendinitis, rest, exercise and other self-care measures often improve or even relieve symptoms. This may take weeks or months. Some persons may need to change or reduce the amount of time they play certain sports to remain pain-free. With rotator cuff tears, treatment often relieves symptoms. But outcome depends on the size of the tear and how long the tear has been present, the person's age, how active the person was before the injury.

Patient

One of the tests that can help to diagnose rotator cuff tendonitis is called the painful arc test. Your doctor may ask you to start with your arm by your side and then lift your arm outwards from your side in an arc. In rotator cuff tendonitis, pain is usually felt at a maximum between 70 and 120° in this arc.