The shoulder is one of the most flexible joints in the body, and yet it is also one of the most vulnerable. Overuse and overextension can result in painful injuries that limit the shoulder’s range of movement, leading to lost mobility and a decreased quality of life. Patients who have suffered a rotator cuff injury can find relief at Southlake Orthopaedics, a multi-specialty orthopedics care center that offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, including shoulder care. With offices near you in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, our multi-specialty team provides state-of-the-art sports injury treatment in Central Alabama.
The rotator cuff is a ring of muscles and tendons that surrounds the shoulder joint. It allows the shoulder to bend in all directions, including up, down, forward, backward, and to the side. It also locks the joint in place, ensuring that the ball of the humerus (upper arm bone) stays in its socket.
Rotator cuff injuries occur when the tendons of the rotator cuff become damaged. They can be partial tears, meaning that the tendon is still somewhat attached to the bone. They can also be complete tears, meaning that the tendon has been completely severed. Rotator cuff injuries are common, and they become more likely with age. They are a frequent cause of disability in adults.
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury depend on the severity of the tear. Some injuries, especially mild ones, do not cause any pain or symptoms at all. Many patients never realize they have a rotator cuff tear. Other injuries cause intense pain that cannot be ignored. Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include:
Sudden tears from a traumatic injury cause an immediate onset of symptoms that are often intense. With degenerative tears, meanwhile, symptoms start slowly. Patients experience mild pain or shoulder weakness that gradually develops into a serious disability.
Rotator cuff injuries have two main causes. Some are caused by trauma from a sports accident or a hard fall. Others are degenerative, meaning that they develop over time due to overuse or progressive wear and tear. While anybody can sustain a rotator cuff injury, certain risk factors make it more likely:
Because they are often degenerative, rotator cuff injuries can get worse over time. Partial tears can evolve into complete tears, making it impossible to move the arm. Patients experiencing pain or loss of mobility should seek medical treatment sooner rather than later to keep the injury from progressing.
When patients visit Southlake Orthopaedics for shoulder pain, the board-certified sports medicine physician will begin with a comprehensive evaluation. They will perform a physical examination to test the arm’s strength and range of motion, interview the patient about their symptoms, and check the patient’s medical history for previous injuries.
The physician then requests medical imaging tests to examine the shoulder’s internal structure. An X-ray can be used to rule out other injuries, such as bone spurs, dislocations, or fractures. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, meanwhile, is used to examine the muscles and tendons for damage. MRI scan results provide a conclusive diagnosis for a rotator cuff tear.
Treatment for a rotator cuff injury depends on its severity. Minor, partial tears may be addressed with the rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) method, pain medications, and activity adjustments. Physical therapy may also be used to increase shoulder strength and flexibility. It can reduce pain while preventing the injury from recurring or worsening.
Severe injuries may be treated with corticosteroid injections, which provide powerful, long-lasting pain relief. Surgery is also an option for complete tears. Rotator cuff surgery involves trimming away torn tissue before reattaching the tendon. Graft tissue may be used to rebuild or replace a severely degenerated tendon.
Southlake Orthopaedics provides a high level of care that is made possible by its exceptional team. Sports medicine diagnoses and treatments are performed by a multi-specialty team of board-certified physicians, including orthopedic physicians, surgeons, physical therapists, and more, who collaborate to provide comprehensive patient care. Meet the specialists below:
Rotator cuff injuries are a common cause of adult disability, but they don’t need to define a person’s lifestyle. Patients can find less pain, more living at Southlake Orthopaedics, a multi-specialty orthopedic center serving central Alabama with comprehensive sports medicine care at locations in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview. We support patients at every stage from diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation. Contact us to learn more or to schedule an appointment and begin your care.