[dropcap]A[/dropcap]re you suffering from shoulder pain or having trouble raising your arm or lifting objects, even light ones? It could be that the cause of the problem is your rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles that stabilise the shoulder. The shoulder, unlike the hip, is built for mobility and that makes it vulnerable to injury; these four muscles, originating from the shoulder blade and attaching to the arm, act together—each with its own special task to provide strength and stability to the shoulder. The supraspinatus helps to move the arm away from the body and elevates the shoulder. Infraspinatus turns your arm outwards. Teres Minor turns your arm outwards and also brings it towards the body. Subscapularis turns the arm inwards and also holds the head of the arm in place when moving your arm upwards. Common injuries are:
• Tears, through overuse or trauma.
• Tendonitis, inflammation in the area where the muscle attaches to the bone.
• Bursitis, inflammation of pads that sit between muscles.
• Impingement syndrome, narrowing of spaces which causes squeezing and irritation of the tendon.
When one or more of the muscles are injured it can cause pain, weakness and changes to the movement of the shoulder. In some cases it can even cause the shoulder to become stiff and certain movements hard to perform, especially lifting your arm above your head, trying to comb your hair or reach your hand behind your back. The extent of pain and dysfunction depends on the severity of the injury. The rotator cuff is commonly injured when doing repetitive movements overhead or when the arm is pulled forcefully from the socket or from a fall.
So how do you know if you have injured your rotator cuff? The best answer to this is to visit your health care provider who will carry out a series of tests to determine the source of your problems and the best treatment options.
Many injuries to the rotator cuff can heal on their own, sometimes within a few weeks but quite often it can take several months for full recovery. The best treatment as always is prevention. If you play sports that involve throwing or placing your arm overhead as in tennis, or your job involves repetitive movements above your head then it would be wise to strengthen your rotator cuff rather than wait for an injury to happen. The same exercises that are used to treat the rotator cuff can also be used to strengthen it.
• Stand facing a wall. Keep your upper arm close to your side with your elbow bent. Push your fist against the wall.
• Stand sideways against a wall with your upper arm close to your side and elbow at a right angle. Push the forearm to the side against the wall.
• Stand with your upper arm close to your side, elbow at a right angle and the back of your hand against a wall. Push the back of your hand against the wall. Hold for 3 seconds.
• Stand in a doorway with you elbow close to your body and bent at a right angle. Place your hand against the wall. Pull your hand in against the wall. Hold for 3 seconds.
• Stand with your back against the wall. Keep your upper arm close to your side and elbow at a right angle. Push the elbow back against the wall.
It is also a good idea to include exercises that will strengthen the other muscles around your shoulder and shoulder blade. Focusing on the rotator cuff, however, will give you a good foundation for your strength programme. You would never build a house without first ensuring the foundation it sits on is strong and stable. Remember there are many reasons your shoulder may be hurting or is stiff so if you are experiencing symptoms that are not improving after rest or therapy please consult your health care provider.
Ms Jackson is registered with the Allied Health Council and is a member of PASL. She currently works at Bayside Therapy Services in Rodney Bay.
www.baysidetheraphyservices.com
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