Rotator cuff injury

A rotator cuff injury refers to an injury of the four separate muscles that join together as a rotator cuff within the human body. Those muscles include the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor muscles. The muscles and tendons that connect them to each other play a major role in keeping the shoulders and affiliated joints stabilized. The major responsibility of the rotator cuff is to support the humerus bone, which is located within the glenoid fossa.

If the rotator cuff becomes injured then the range of motion and functionality of the arms, shoulders, and joints that connect everything together will be affected. A serious rotator cuff injury could cause permanent damage to the arms and possibility lead to disability or limited functionality of the arms.

Types of Rotator Cuff Injuries
In most cases the tendons that connect the muscles affiliated with the shoulder joint will be the most affected by a rotator cuff injury. An example of a rotator cuff injury that is fairly common and easy to understand would be tendonitis.

Tendonitis
This particular type of rotator cuff injury occurs if the muscles of the rotator cuff are over-stressed. Repetitive motions such as tennis swings can be major influences on an injury to the rotator cuff. If tendonitis is experienced then the symptoms of the condition will be experienced as well. This can include minor to major pain and discomfort of the affected joints, tendons, and muscles, as well as restricted range of motion for the affected body parts. Regularly icing the affected area or using anti-inflammatory medication can help minimize the affects of tendonitis.

There are different levels of tendonitis as well. Tennis elbow is the less severe type of tendonitis that is more commonly experienced. It is the type of tendonitis that occurs as a result of repetitive motions such as tennis swings, baseball pitches, and similar motions that involve the rotator cuff muscles. It is possible that a more severe type of tendonitis may be experienced but it will be much different than a less serious type of tendonitis. You may want to read up further on different types of tendonitis if you notice symptoms of the condition for more than two weeks after beginning treatment to it.

Pinched Muscles (Impingement)
It is also fairly common for muscles of the rotator cuff to be pinched or impinged. This is usually caused by improper balance of muscles for an extended period of time. This can cause poor posture if practiced in the long term. You can help your body prevent pinched muscles in the rotator cuff by performing strength exercises to improve the alignment of your muscles and improve the overall functionality of those muscles. This may also be a decent way to treat the muscles if they have become imbalanced as a result of impingement.

Tears
Another very common injury to the rotator cuff would be tearing of the tendons. While this can be compared to tendonitis, it is often much more severe. Tears to the rotator cuffs can lead to demobilization of the arm. It may take a while for the condition to be fully treated as well. In most cases, compressing or wrapping the affected joint will be effective at minimizing the swelling and movement of the affected joint. You may also want to ice the affected area regularly as well.

There are many different possible injuries that may occur to the rotator cuff. As there are so many important joints, tendons, and muscles that are associated with the rotator cuff it is more likely for you to injure it then most other muscle groups in your body. Most individuals will experience some form of injury to their rotator cuff at some time in their lifetime. Therefore, it is important to know all about the different types of rotator cuff injuries and how to properly treat them.

Last updated on Jan 19th, 2011 and filed under Other Conditions & Diseases. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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