| Have you ever experienced a dull ache or sharp pain | | | | (shrug sign). The hallmark signs of a tear are |
| in your shoulder or upper arm? Maybe you are unable | | | | nocturnal pain, loss of strength, and inability to raise |
| to sleep on one side because your shoulder wakes | | | | the arm overhead.However, acute tendonitis may |
| you up at night. Perhaps, you have discomfort | | | | also present with similar signs and symptoms, as pain |
| reaching behind your back to tuck in your shirt or | | | | can inhibit motion and strength. Yet, symptoms |
| grab your wallet. If so, you may be suffering from a | | | | associated with tendonitis normally respond to rest, |
| rotator cuff injury.Rotator cuff injuries, such as | | | | ice, anti-inflammatory medication and therapeutic |
| tendonitis, bursitis and tears plague several people in | | | | exercise.Rotator cuff tears are most common in men |
| our population. The rotator cuff consists of four small | | | | age 65 and older. Tears and/or injury are typically |
| muscles, which form a sleeve around the shoulder | | | | related to degeneration, instability, bone spurs, |
| and allow us to raise our arm overhead effectively. | | | | trauma, overuse and diminished strength/flexibility |
| These muscles, consisting of the supraspinatus, | | | | related to the aging process. However, youth are |
| infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis, oppose | | | | also at risk for injury if they are involved in repetitive |
| the action of the deltoid and depress the head of | | | | overhead sports, including swimming, volleyball, |
| the humerus (upper arm) during shoulder elevation to | | | | baseball, softball, tennis, gymnastics, etc.Many people |
| prevent impingement.The most commonly injured | | | | can function adequately with a torn rotator cuff |
| muscle is the supraspinatus. It is responsible for | | | | provided they have a low to moderate pain level. |
| initiating and aiding in elevation of the arm. If torn, the | | | | The primary reason for performing rotator cuff |
| individual typically experiences persistent pain in the | | | | surgery is to alleviate pain rather than to restore |
| upper lateral arm and significant difficulty raising the | | | | function. It is common for post surgical patients to |
| arm without compensatory motion from the scapula | | | | lose some mobility/range of motion. |