Rotator Cuff Muscles With Pain–What You Need To Know

Posted on August 25, 2011 by admin


Rotator Cuff Muscles

The rotator cuff muscles are the group of muscles in the upper arm and shoulder area that support the or stabilize the shoulder area. The four muscles that make up the rotator cuff are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and the teres minor muscles. Interesting sounding names which have interesting jobs to do.

Collectively the muscles work together with three other muscles, the teres major, the coracobrachialis, and the deltoid to move the arm and shoulder area so we as humans can do work like chopping wood, rowing a boat, or something fun like throwing a baseball or football.

The rotator cuff muscles would be relatively unknown if it weren’t for our propensity to over do things like throw a baseball for instance. Of course there are many causes of rotator cuff injuries other than tossing a baseball. Swimming is one of the other major sports where the rotator cuff muscles become injured. Even conductors of symphonies can wear out the tendons of one or more of theses muscles. However, a sudden blow to the shoulder area or falling on an extended arm may also cause damage to the muscles and tendons.

Rotator Cuff Muscle Injuries

Unfortunately, as we grow older things like arthritis can cause constriction in the area and lead to wearing on the tendons and thusly affecting the rotator cuff muscles. It is the tendons that are most torn and not the muscles, so when you hear of rotator cuff injuries think about worn, frayed or detached tendons.

In most cases it is repetitive moving of the area that leads to the breakdown of the fibers in the tendons. Much like the belts on the motor of your car, as the rotator cuff muscles are continually used or abused they start to break down. Good news for most people is the pain usually acts to deter most people from using them to the point of breakage.
Of the four rotator cuff muscles the supraspinatus is the muscle most affected. The supraspinatus starts out in an indention in the scapula under what is known as the spine of the scapula. The scapula is the big bone on the back behind the shoulder on both sides of the body. The spine of the scapula is the projection that runs mostly vertically from the center of the back to the should and arm intersection.

Starting at this fossa (indention) the subscapularis heads toward the arm by traveling along the top of the spine of the scapula. At the arm/shoulder intersection the spine of the scapula turns up and projects forward to form the bony projection on the top of the shoulder right where the arm starts to hang down. It is also where the clavicle on the front of your shoulder area ends. This called the acromion or Greek for highest. This is the area where most of the injuries occur.

The supraspinatus must run under the acromion to allow it’s tendon to attach to the humerus (upper arm bone). When the supraspinatus muscles contract they cause the arm to go away from the body, an action known as abduction. This action combined with the other rotator cuff muscles allows us to lift our arm to throw for instance. When the supraspinatus muscle contracts the tendon is stretched under the acromion. Constant stretching of the tendon against the acromion leads to wear and tear.

Trauma To The Rotator Cuff Muscles

It is the overuse of this muscle tendon that cause the problem. The tendon was designed to be able to withstand maybe 100 years of normal arm action. The repetitive motion of throwing or swimming or conducting an orchestra is where the problem lies.

As noted before, trauma can also be a cause for the rotator cuff injury. It can be damaged in the initial incident or can be damaged slightly and the slight tear can deteriorate with time. Most slightly damaged tendons recover with proper care whereas a major tear will require surgery.

The injury to the rotator cuff muscles can be caused by blunt force trauma, as stated before, falling on an outstretched arm, and repetitive motions usually associated with sports.

The symptoms of rotator cuff injury are

Recurrent, constant pain, particularly when reaching overhead
Pain at night that prevents you from sleeping
Shoulder muscle weakness, especially when lifting the arm

Popping or clicking sounds when the shoulder is moved

Limited range of motion in the shoulder joint

If you have any or all of these symptoms a trip to your doctor can help verify if you have any damage in the rotator cuff muscles. He will examine the area by doing a couple of specialized tests.
1) Xrays can tell if there is any problems with the bones in the area such as fractures or bone spurs.
2)Arthrogram is a test that injects a dye into the muscle. The doctor then looks on xray or MRI to check for leaking of the dye which may mean a tear is present.
3)MRI scans can reveal the tendon and any tears may be visible with this procedure.
4)Arthroscopy is basically inserting a small camera into the area to look around for abnormalities.
5)Ultrasound can be used to check for inflammation or tears

Is Surgery Necessary?

The treatment of rotator cuff injuries is decided by the extent of the injury, pain in the area, and extent of limited mobility. The first course is to treat it non surgically with rest, ice to help with any swelling, NSAIDS for pain and inflammation, topical cremes to help with pain, and maybe with Corticosteroid injections if the injury warrants it.
Once the pain and inflammation are under control, physical therapy will be prescribed to get the area back to as close to full strength as possible and to bring back the range of motion and mobility to the rotator cuff muscles.
If surgery is needed the first thought is to perform arthroscopic surgery to limit the amount of damage to shoulder area. If that is not an option then the doctor will perform full surgery by opening up the shoulder area. Of course, that is the last choice and done only when absolutely necessary.
After surgery full recovery can be in as little as 2 months and up to 6 months or longer depending on the type of surgery and the patients ability to follow the required rehabilitation schedule.
If you feel you have the symptoms described above visit your doctor to have him evaluate your rotator cuff muscles for injury.

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Cure Your Rotator Cuff Pain Quickly — No More Pain

Posted on October 27, 2011 by admin



Do you suffer from rotator cuff pain? Well don’t fell like the Lone Ranger because you are not alone. Millions of people suffer rotator cuff and most of them don’t have a clue what is causing the pain or what to do about it. Fortunately for you this website will put you ahead of all those poor unfortunate sufferers who will continue to hurt due to lack of knowledge.

Just for everyone’s anatomical edification, the rotator cuff is located in the shoulder area and is made up of four muscles. The supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and the subscapularis. The tendons of theses four muscles all run out to the upper most part of the humerus or upper arm bone and attach to the front and back creating a “cuff” around the bone. When the tendons of the muscles get stretched, irritated or torn you will experience pain that may last for years without proper attention. Sometimes the pain is enough to cause the person to discontinue using the arm which leads to adhesive capsulitis or more commonly called frozen shoulder.

Good news for everyone is that the injury is easily cured and the pain can be a thing of the past. Even those who have allowed the injury to progress to frozen shoulder have hope. For most people the rotator cuff pain can be cured without the help of a doctor, physical therapist, or expensive equipment. Proper knowledge combined with a consistent effort will bring back the range of motion and allow you to live a more normal life, free of shoulder pain and lack of the use if the arm.

The keys to reversing the problems of rotator cuff pain are;                                                       1) proper stretching techniques to regain flexibility. This will also allow the arm to regain it’s range of motion and will lessen the pain.                                                                              2) Specific exercises to get the blood flowing properly and allow the necessary chemicals to arrive at the area to begin to rebuild the affected tissue. It also ease the tension and stiffness of the muscles in the area which contribute to lessening of the pain and increased mobility.

These two keys will work for any age and have an extremely high percentage of success in the treatment of the injury. The book called Shoulder Pain No More has all the information you need to rid yourself of rotator cuff pain forever.

 

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Rotator Cuff Pain Relief Quickly And Inexpensively

Posted on October 25, 2011 by admin


Rotator Cuff Pain Relief

Did you know you can get rotator cuff pain relief quickly and without expensive doctor or rehab center visits and without laying out major chunks of cash to buy home equipment. If you have been suffering with shoulder pain for a week or for many years chances are excellent you can reverse the damage done to the rotator cuff and start to live a more normal life once again.

Unless you have torn tendons and cartilage which may need to be corrected by surgery there are a few easy steps you can take to get back the use of your arm without all the pain. Depending on your general condition of health you could be pain free in 10 days to a couple months. Being able to reach above your head again to get something off the top shelf or maybe even throwing a baseball with a son or grandson is possible if you use time tested methods for rehabilitation of the rotator cuff area.

You don’t need to buy any fancy equipment that may cost hundreds of dollars and as mentioned before you won’t have to spend money on doctor visits. A few weeks in the privacy of your home and you will be well on the way to getting that rotator cuff pain relief you have been seeking for who knows how long.

The expensive rehab appointments can be done in the comfort of your own home. The same exercises your doctor or physical therapists prescribe for you are easy to do with just a little instruction and a small amount of time.

It is that simple and the really good news is that no matter what your age the home rehab will work for you. When the pain is gone and the strength returned to those shoulder muscles life is so much better.

The two important elements of home physiotherapy are;

1) Stretching – to regain flexibility, loosen the shoulder and return range of motion to the joint area. Stretching aids in rotator cuff pain relief as well.

2) Exercising – to boost blood flow to the area, which aids in healing, and to remove the stiffness and tension of the muscles. Not only does this promote healing it also reduces pain initially until eventually it leaves altogether. you can find out all you need to know about what stretches to do and what exercises to preform to attain rotator cuff pain relief by going to the link. http://www.ShoulderPainNoMore.com/go/nomorepain

 

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Is Rotator Cuff Surgery For You?

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin


Rotator Cuff Surgery

If you are considering rotator cuff surgery here are some things you can expect. Both before and after the surgery you will need to be diligent to follow your doctors instructions. Many failed rotator cuff surgeries are due to the inability of the patient to follow through with the advice given by the professionals. Try to keep in mind that experience has shown the procedures to be effective so it will be in your beat interest to follow those procedures as closely as possible.

Modern techniques allow the doctors to preform the surgery in the least invasive manner possible . Rotator cuff surgery is usually done using a pen like instrument called an arthroscope inserted into the affected area.

Rotator Cuff Surgery With Arthroscope

The arthroscope has a miniature camera attached to the end so the doctor can see the area. A small incision is made for the insertion which allows the muscle damage to be kept to a minimum.

The patient will be given a general anesthetic in most instances and will be asleep during the procedure. The patient is also positioned in a half sitting position with the shoulder exposed. A small incision will be made and the arthroscope will be inserted. The doctor performs the surgery by looking at the area via a video monitor. The surgeon will remove scar tissue and may remove some bone to make the pathway wider for the tendons.

Most rotator cuff surgeries take 1 to 2 hours. If arthroscopic surgery is done the patient is then moved into an observation room for a few hours. Most go home the same day.

After Rotator Cuff Surgery

The arm is put in a sling and usually a support is used at the elbow while lying down. The arm is put into a sling and the patient is encouraged to get up and move about. The patient is instructed to limit movement of the shoulder as much as possible. Clear liquids is about all that can be consumed for several hours. Ice is also provided for the area to keep down swelling and reduce pain.

Since the rotator cuff surgery was done with a very small incision during arthroscopy recovery time is cut down compared to the surgery done by the open method.

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Rotator Cuff Injury Symptoms

Posted on September 3, 2011 by admin


What Are Some Rotator Cuff Injury Symptoms?

Do you have pain in your shoulder and wondering if you may have rotator cuff injury symptoms? Knowledge is your best defense against further injury so this article will provide some guidelines you can use to decide if you have a rotator cuff tear. Obviously you are not a doctor and neither is this author so use wisdom along with this knowledge.

If you haven’t done your homework the rotator cuff muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. These muscles are used to move your arm in throwing motions for one thing but more importantly hold the head of your upper arm bone, the humerus in place.

Rotator cuff injury symptoms can be brought upon you by a trauma of some sort like falling forward and using your arm to stop the fall or a number of other different accident type traumas. The pain can also be caused by the over use of the arm in sports and other activities where the throwing motion is used. Tennis players, swimmers, and even music conductors are prone to over us injuries.

Rotator Cuff Injury Symptoms From Overuse

Rotator cuff muscle symptoms are simple. In the case of overuse where the tendons are worn from repeated action over time look for pain as the first sign. The tendons will be inflamed so swelling will occur, however, it may not be noticeable if it is deep in the cuff area. The swelling will start to cause limiting in your range of motion. So you will have pain on lifting your arm, combing your hair, or throwing something. There can be pain while you are at rest and if you lean onto something with your shoulder area such as lying down. There may also be sounds like clicks and pops when moving the arm or putting pressure on it.

A rotator cuff tear is much more painful. You may feel a tear and there will be a sharp pain running from front to back in the shoulder and down to the elbow. The pain will warn you not to move the arm and swelling may occur. There may be bleeding and most certainly muscle spasms.

Rotator Cuff Injury Symptoms Can Be Treated

Rotator cuff muscle injuries are not much fun. Normal everyday activities can become a chore due to the pain from just trying to move the arm to the side, away from the body, or when you must turn the hand and arm inward. Most rotator cuff injury symptoms can be treated successfully by a knowledgeable doctor.

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Sore Shoulder- Rotator Cuff Muscle Injury?

Posted on August 30, 2011 by admin


Sore Shoulder

It is not uncommon for many people to suffer from a sore shoulder. The pain runs the gamut from slight to extreme. Most people are able to work through the pain while many have to resort to pain aid medications ranging from NSAIDS to much stronger prescription type drugs.

When is it time to see a doctor about your sore shoulder? That will depend on each individual case, however, here are some guidelines to help you determine if you need to go seek medical advice.

1)Did you have some sort of trauma occur in or around the shoulder area? If you were involved in an accident did you hear the shoulder area pop? If you answer yes to this your sore shoulder may be caused by a dislocated shoulder. It’s a good idea to see a doctor.

2)Is your shoulder misshaped or swollen?  Many times this is an indication that you may have fractured your upper arm. You will need Xrays to determine if you have a fracture and how bad it may be.

3)Does your sore shoulder pain present itself at the collar bone?
If so it is possible you may have broken the clavicle bone in the accident.

4)Is it sore at the tip of your shoulder at the end of the collar bone? If yes does the pain lessen when you lift the arm with your good arm? It is possible a dislocation has occurred. It’s time for a doctor visit.

5)Does your sore shoulder seem weak? Does the pain increase when you twist your arm or when throwing something? This could be the rotator cuff muscles and tendons causing your sore shoulder. If you are concerned about this go immediately to the doctor for an examination. If it has only been a few days you may want to rest the arm for a few days while you continue to observe whether it improves or not.

6)Do you have a fever? And is there any redness and swelling? This could be a minor inflammation, called  bursitis or as major as a bone infection. DO NOT HESITATE TO VISIT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!!!

7)Do you have redness and swelling around more than one joint and no fever?  This could be rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Your doctor will recommend a course of treatment.

8)If you have redness and swelling plus a fever, have you had a skin infection or sore throat in the past month? SEE YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. This could be signs of rheumatic fever and it is much more than just a sore shoulder.

9)Do you have pain when you move your sore shoulder but no pain and redness? The two most probable causes are bursitis and rotator cuff injury. Medical help is recommended but ibuprofen type over the counter drugs may help. You can also apply heat. If no improvement make an appointment.

10)Do you have increasing stiffness and difficulty moving your arm? Frozen shoulder is the common name for this. Adhesive capsulitis is the medical term and it is very treatable.

These are some of the things to be looking for if you are having shoulder problems. Some are minor and some are dangerous so be wise when you have a a sore shoulder.

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Rotator Cuff Muscles – Getting Geared up For Your Workout

Posted on August 13, 2011 by admin

If you are at all like us, it can be nerve-wracking any time you need accurate details concerning Rotator Cuff Muscles, and it seems nearly impossible to find. You need to refine your searches to get the best data, and then you have to sort through mountains of information. It is usually a frequent effect of the way search engine algorithms are created – so you are not alone. What we have done is put together some solid research about Rotator Cuff Muscles and put it in one place.

Then you will understand more about it so you can make an smart decision and move forward with confidence.

Rotator Cuff Muscles The same New Year’s Resolution gets made by lots of people every year. They tell themselves “this could be the year that I get healthy.” Each year these people say “this is the year I’ll get in shape.” You already know that accomplishing these things is hard work. If they are your resolutions there’s no doubt that you’ve already read a large number of articles that say the same thing. To get healthy you’ll want to eat natural foods and get plenty of exercise. Surely there needs to be something else that can be done! Guess what; there is: you can do some preparation work! Jumping right onto the health wagon and making all of your adjustments at the same time is really hard. You need to make strategies first. You could be more likely to succeed if there is a plan in place.

Acquiring the proper equipment is the first thing you should do. Obviously you don’t need to wear particular shirts or pants when you exercise, but you do need to have good shoes. You shouldn’t try to work out in the exact same shoes that you wear when you run errands. You ought to find the right footwear for your workout. If you don’t do that, it’s very likely that you’ll end up with a variety of injuries in your feet, ankles, legs and even the rest of your body too. Get the assistance of an specialist (like you’ll find at a sports store) if you need help figuring out what type of shoes you need to buy. The type of shoes you’re looking for will depend upon which types of exercise you do.

As we have just stated, Rotator Cuff Muscles is something that cannot be ignored – or at least should never be ignored. We do recognize very well that your situation is vital and matters a great deal. We will begin the rest of our conversation right away, but sometimes you have to stop and let issues sink in a little bit. In light of all that is available, and there is a lot, then this is a great time to be reading this. If you continue, we know you will not be unhappy with what we have to provide in this article.

Meal planning will let you determine what food to eat and when you ought to eat it. It’s simple to think that you are able to know which groceries to buy and what food to order at restaurants right away. This isn’t usually true. It’s challenging to crack old habits, particularly when you’re at the grocery market. If you do your meal planning ahead of time, you’ll know what to go shopping for, and what to cook for your meals. You can map out your weeks and even your months all at once. This also helps you save time at meal times–time you would typically be spending gazing at your kitchen shelves and wondering what you should cook.

Do some research. Choosing a workout routine, selecting a meal plan, figuring out the easiest way to keep track of calories consumed and burned—it all takes research. You can take tiny steps to get healthy and balanced while you’re doing your reading and speaking with your doctors. The more you know when you start on your new project; the better off you will end up in the long run. Knowledge is the simplest way to really improve your health.

Wanting to get healthy and balanced is a great aim, but with no some preparation it’s unlikely to happen. You need to figure out a path to follow so that you won’t have to ever stop to wonder what comes next and end up getting sidetracked from your goal. Good luck and don’t forget to have a bit of fun!

We know you want to find out more about Rotator Cuff Muscles, and coming up next is something we believe will help you in ways you do not realize, yet. But never think this is all there is, quite the opposite we do have to admit. It is so easy to find information that is missing in important finer points, we will say, but we do have the complete story.

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Rotator Cuff Injury Symptoms

Posted on August 11, 2011 by admin

Do you have pain in your shoulder and wondering if you may have rotator cuff injury symptoms? Knowledge is your best defense against further injury so this article will provide some guidelines you can use to decide if you have a rotator cuff tear. Obviously you are not a doctor and neither is this author so use wisdom along with this knowledge.

If you haven’t done your homework the rotator cuff muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. These muscles are used to move your arm in throwing motions for one thing but more importantly hold the head of your upper arm bone, the humerus in place.

Rotator cuff injury symptoms can be brought upon you by a trauma of some sort like falling forward and using your arm to stop the fall or a number of other different accident type traumas. The pain can also be caused by the over use of the arm in sports and other activities where the throwing motion is used. Tennis players, swimmers, and even music conductors are prone to over us injuries.

Rotator cuff muscle symptoms are simple. In the case of overuse where the tendons are worn from repeated action over time look for pain as the first sign. The tendons will be inflamed so swelling will occur, however, it may not be noticeable if it is deep in the cuff area. The swelling will start to cause limiting in your range of motion. So you will have pain on lifting your arm, combing your hair, or throwing something. There can be pain while you are at rest and if you lean onto something with your shoulder area such as lying down. There may also be sounds like clicks and pops when moving the arm or putting pressure on it.

A rotator cuff tear is much more painful. You may feel a tear and there will be a sharp pain running from front to back in the shoulder and down to the elbow. The pain will warn you not to move the arm and swelling may occur. There may be bleeding and most certainly muscle spasms.

Rotator cuff muscle injuries are not much fun. Normal everyday activities can become a chore due to the pain from just trying to move the arm to the side, away from the body, or when you must turn the hand and arm inward. Most rotator cuff injury symptoms can be treated successfully by a knowledgeable doctor.

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