Rotator Cuff Injury by Tanya Ali

Athletes

alwaldr1 — 2024-01-23 22:51:22 UTC

Athletes are one of the most common groups of people that suffer from a rotator cuff injury

Aging/degeneration of rotator cuff

ashar482 — 2024-01-23 22:55:34 UTC

Aging is one of the most common factors for rotator cuff injuries/tears. As you age, your rotator cuff tissues gradually degenerate putting you at a higher risk

Rotator Cuff Injury

tali5_1 — 2024-01-23 22:56:19 UTC

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that are attached to the shoulder bones. An injury occurs when the tendons and muscles are overused or when tears occur. When there is inflammation in the rotator cuff it is sometimes referred to as rotator cuff tendinitis.

Causes

rbarne32 — 2024-01-23 23:00:37 UTC

Repetitive overhead exercises or heavy lifting can damage the tendon causing it to tear

People Over Age 40

alwaldr1 — 2024-01-23 23:05:25 UTC

People over age 40 are also likely to suffer these injuries due to wear and tear.

The primary anatomical structure

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:39:34 UTC

The primary anatomical structures involved in rotator cuff injuries include the shoulder which is made up of three bones, the humerus (the upper bone), the scapula (the shoulder blade), and the clavicle (the collarbone). The shoulder itself is a ball and socket joint that fits into the shoulder blade.

Primary muscles

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:39:50 UTC

The primary muscles involved in the rotator cuff are the supraspinatus muscle, subscapularis muscle, infraspinatus muscle, and the teres minor muscle. These muscles surround the joint to keep the head of the upper arm (humerus) locked into the shoulder socket (glenoid cavity).

Ball and socket joint

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:40:05 UTC

The shoulder itself is a ball and socket joint that fits into the shoulder blade. The arm is kept in the socket by rotator cuffs which include four individual muscles that cover the head of the upper bone and work together as tendons helping lift and rotate the arm. The bursa is a lubricating sac that allows those tendons to move freely and without restriction.

Injury Causes

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:40:23 UTC

When one or more of the four muscles in the shoulder that make up the tendons are strained or torn the tendon will partially or completely detach from the humerus (the upper bone). These injuries can likely occur when lifting heavy objects, sometimes the tendons will begin to become worn, and therefore lifting something heavy will worsen it causing a tear.

Pain that does not go away

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:49:20 UTC

Symptoms of rotator cuff injury can include shoulder pain that does not go away. It could be throbbing, stabbing, or dull pain.

Icing/Heat Application

ashar482 — 2024-02-06 22:52:02 UTC

Icing/Heat Application helps relieve pain for short periods of time. It works on reducing inflammation. Ice can be applied for some time to the outer portion of the shoulder muscle.

Muscle Weakness

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:55:13 UTC

People who suffer from this injury may experience muscle weakness especially if the tear occurred due to deterioration.

Physical Exam

alwaldr1 — 2024-02-06 22:55:50 UTC

Health care providers will press on parts of the shoulder and conduct specialized tests like the "Empty can test" or the "Hawkins test" to evaluate shoulder strength and range of motion.

Crackling or Grating Sounds

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 22:58:29 UTC

There are crackling or grating sounds when moving the shoulder.

Surgical Treatment

ashar482 — 2024-02-06 23:00:08 UTC

Continued pain is the main indication for surgery. However, your doctor may also suggest surgery if you are very active and/or use your arms for overhead work or sports.

Limited Range of Motion

tali5_1 — 2024-02-06 23:01:31 UTC

The shoulder will lack mobility due to pain and inflammation caused by the tear making the range of motion limited.

Imaging

alwaldr1 — 2024-02-06 23:01:43 UTC

Physical Therapy

ashar482 — 2024-02-06 23:03:50 UTC

Physical therapy is usually one of the first treatments suggested. Exercises tailored to the specific location of your rotator cuff injury can help restore flexibility and strength to your shoulder. Physical therapy is also an important part of the recovery process after rotator cuff surgery.

Shoulder Arthritis

alwaldr1 — 2024-02-13 22:41:34 UTC

"Untreated chronic inflammation due to a partially torn rotator cuff tendon could lead to a full-thickness tear and eventually progress to shoulder arthritis."

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Trouble sleeping

tali5_1 — 2024-02-13 22:42:10 UTC

Long-term consequences of a rotator cuff injury may consist of pain when sleeping or putting pressure on the shoulder area. Even after the area is healed some people may experience pain which makes sleeping hard and uncomfortable.

Limited range of motion

heidiyoung2238 — 2024-02-13 22:47:05 UTC

Long term consequences of the rotator cuff injury may include weakness and limited range of motion of the shoulder. This can be from partial or complete tears of the tendon and constant use of the muscle.

Preoperative planning and discussion

alwaldr1 — 2024-02-20 23:03:45 UTC

Patients often experience psychological distress surrounding repair surgery. This can be resolved through preoperative conversations with the surgeon performing the procedure.

Treatments for Depression+Anxiety

ashar482 — 2024-02-20 23:04:51 UTC

For depression, two kinds of psychotherapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy, as well as antidepressant medications, have been shown to be helpful. For anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy, antidepressant medications and anti-anxiety medications have all been shown to be helpful.

Depression + Anxiety

tali5_1 — 2024-02-20 23:07:37 UTC

People with this injury may experience symptoms of depression and anxiety due to pain, stress and worry related to their injury.

Physical Therapy and Rotator Cuff Injury

tali5_1 — 2024-02-27 23:06:00 UTC

Physical therapists assign a variety of different exercises tailored to each of their patient's injuries. The most common exercises assigned include pendulum swings, shoulder stretches and arm raises. Exercises also change with time as the person progresses.

Occupational Therapy Treatments

alwaldr1 — 2024-02-27 23:06:29 UTC

Occupational Therapy treatments use repetitive facilitative exercise to improve upper-extremity function and ability to manipulate objects. This treatment helps to prevent long term immobility of the shoulder following a tear. These treatments are administered by occupational therapists.

Steroid Injections

tali5_1 — 2024-03-12 23:09:52 UTC

Steroid Injections are an option for treatment after a rotator cuff injury they are almost always paid for by insurance. They typically cost anywhere between $150 to $300 per injection and tend to be highly effective.

Stem Cell Therapy

ashar482 — 2024-03-12 23:11:12 UTC

The use of MSCs is a promising and outstanding therapeutic efficacy in regenerative medicine. The stem cells have been successfully derived from multiple tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, tendon, umbilical cord blood, bursa, and urine. The cost for stem cell therapy usually ranges between $1500-$8500 for one or more sessions. Insurance will most likely not cover this type of treatment as it is still considered experimental and insurances mostly cover standard treatments.

Physical Therapy

alwaldr1 — 2024-03-12 23:13:08 UTC

Without insurance, physical therapy for a rotator cuff injury can cost as much as $5,100.

Recovery Sleep

alwaldr1 — 2024-03-19 23:01:24 UTC

Many experience pain or a dull ache in the involved shoulder when they try to sleep on that side. Being able to sleep comfortably and get enough sleep to achieve recovery is a significant lifestyle adjustment for some. Patients are likely to make this adjustment somewhat easily about a 7/10. Specialist: Occupational Therapist

Lifting items

tali5_1 — 2024-03-19 23:04:29 UTC

A person with this injury may need to be more mindful when they lift heavy items especially if they need to lift anything above their heads or lift their arms over their shoulders. They will most likely need physical therapy in order to strengthen the rotator cuff before they are able to lift items or put their hands above their heads therefore they will seek a physical therapist. On a scale of 1-10 10 being the most difficult to change, their behavior adjustment may be a 6 because the person will need to be constantly aware not to lift heavy items or move their arms above their heads.

Older Adults

alwaldr1 — 2024-03-26 23:10:31 UTC

"Shoulder pain and disabilities are prevalent issues among the elderly population, with rotator cuff tear (RCT) being one of the leading causes. Although surgical treatment has shown some success, high postoperative retear rates remain a great challenge, particularly in elderly patients."

Female Athletes

tali5_1 — 2024-03-26 23:16:15 UTC

Female athletes may injure themselves through their sport or by training, they are more vulnerable to rotator cuff injuries because of their biomechanics. Examples may include injuries from overhead exercises or overuse of the shoulder area.

Stretching and increasing of Range of Motion

tali5_1 — 2024-04-02 23:07:00 UTC

Strengthening of Rotator Cuff muscles/resistance Training

alwaldr1 — 2024-04-02 23:07:32 UTC

Arthroscopic Surgery

alwaldr1 — 2024-04-09 23:01:04 UTC

Arthroscopic procedures: A very common treatment for rotator cuff injuries is an arthroscopic surgery. In these procedures, a fiber-optic video camera is attached to a narrow tube and inserted into the body through a small incision. This small incision allows the surgeon to see inside the joint without creating a large incision, so these procedures are minimally invasive.

ShoulderSphere

tali5_1 — 2024-04-09 23:01:34 UTC

ShoulderSphere is a device that was created to help with rotator cuff injury recovery. It is a device with a ball that attaches to the wrist but immobilizes the wrist so it forces the person to use their shoulder, by doing so they work on strengthening their shoulder after injury.

Workplace Safety

alwaldr1 — 2024-04-16 23:04:05 UTC

One measure public health has taken to prevent rotator cuff injuries is emphasizing the importance of workplace safety. There are important measures for those in the workforce to promote safety like proper lifting techniques to best prevent an injury like this in the workplace. Challenges of implementing these measures may include proper gear and funding.

Community-Based Exercise Programs

ashar482 — 2024-04-16 23:17:22 UTC

One public health intervention that could reduce the prevalence or risk of Rotator Cuff injuries is utilizing community-based exercise programs. These programs might help people in recovering from an injury/surgery and strengthen their shoulder joint to prevent reinjury. One challenge faced by the people might be accessibility. Ensuring that exercise programs are accessible to all members of the community, including those with physical disabilities or limited mobility, can be challenging.