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

These muscles are small. The job of the rotator cuff is not, mostly, to move the arm. The power to move the arm is produced by the deltoid, lats, and pec muscles… the larger muscles that sit over the shoulder, chest, and back. The job of the rotator cuff is to keep the head of the humerus centered in the socket while the deltoid is doing the lifting, to fine-tune the position of the arm, and to provide the rotational control that lets you reach overhead, behind your back, and across your body. The cuff is the stabilizer. The other muscles are the engine.

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 The biomechanics of the rotator cuff in health and disease – A narrative review

The rotator cuff has an important role in the stability and function of the glenohumeral joint. It is a complex anatomic structure commonly affected by injury such as tendinopathy and cuff tears. The rotator cuff helps to provide a stabilising effect to the shoulder joint by compressing the humeral head against the glenoid cavity via the concavity compression mechanism.

Articles of Interest

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.

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.

The Anatomy of the Rotator Cuff

Supraspinatus - The scapula is the clinical term for the shoulder blade. The supraspinatus muscle begins just above the spine of the shoulder blade and connects to the humerus, which is the upper arm bone. This rotator cuff muscle is critical for daily movement because it allows you to elevate your shoulder joint. Its other primary function is to provide stabilization for the area in which the end of the humerus meets the shoulder joint.

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.

What is The Rotator Cuff?

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles; the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and the teres minor. These muscles work together to act as dynamic stabilizers for the shoulder complex. They also assist in the normal mechanics of the shoulder joint by depressing the head of the humerus when raising the arm overhead, which helps prevent impingement from occurring. The rotator cuff is a very fundamental muscle group to allow for reaching over head into cabinets, weightlifting, picking up kids. lifting groceries, walking a dog, throwing, swimming, and even helping push up from a chair.

What is the Rotator Cuff?

The rotator cuff muscles serve to stabilize the shoulder joint and guide the movement that the larger muscles produce. The outer most layer of muscles actually move the shoulder.

Resources

Physiopedia

The Rotator Cuff (RC) is a common name for the group of 4 distinct muscles and their tendons, which provide strength and stability during motion to the shoulder complex. They are also referred to as the SITS muscle, with reference to the first letter of their names (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus,Teres minor, and Subscapularis, respectively). The muscles arise from the scapula and connect to the head of the humerus, forming a cuff around the glenohumeral (GH) joint.

StatPearls

The primary biomechanical role of the rotator cuff is to stabilize the glenohumeral joint through compression of the humeral head against the glenoid. The 4 rotator cuff muscles originate from the scapula and insert on the humerus. The tendons of these muscles blend with the joint capsule to form a musculotendinous cuff that surrounds the anterior, superior, and posterior aspects of the joint while leaving the inferior aspect relatively unsupported.