Rotator Cuff Rehabilitation Could It Be As Simple As doing Pilates



Posted: Saturday, November 14, 2009

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Having torn my rotator cuff towards the end of last year I have researched quite a bit about rotator cuff rehabilitation. The thing that surprised me most was how much exercise featured in rehabilitation of any rotator cuff problems.

I tore my cuff quite badly, lifting some furniture that was too heavy. I rather foolishly lifted with my arm perfectly straight, putting all of the weight on my shoulder joint. Pop...That was me out of action for a while. No more golf for me!

I tried to carry on for several days hoping that it was just a strain and that it would sort itself out. Now, with the benefit of hindsight and more knowledge, I realise that was the worst thing I could do. Where I had torn a tendon in my rotator cuff, the inflammation had brought on a shoulder impingement and each time that I lifted my arm in ceratin ways, the tendon was getting impinged or pinched against the bone and getting damaged even more.

In summary, after a couple of visits to my local doctor and a visit or two to hospital for investigation, I was diagnosed as having torn my rotator cuff and in the process I had managed to get the shoulder impingement. Because of how bad the problem was I was recommended for surgery, a sub-acromial decompression to be exact. The idea was to cut away a piece of bone to give the trapped tendon room to move. As I was in the UK there was the usual waiting list, in my case it was three months long.

So I started to read up about my injury and found out that most rotator cuff injuries do not need surgery. If you have managed to get a full thickness tear, there is no way of avoiding it but a lot of partial injuries can be healed without. It is always worth getting yourself checked out just to see exactly what you are dealing with.

I found out that total rest of the joint is the key. Not the half-hearted rest that I had tried but complete rest of the damaged shoulder. This involves avoiding completely any of the movements that bring on pain, simply because the pain is a sign of further damage being done. Makes sense really!

At the same time as rest, treat the inflammation. Use ice packs and anti inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen even steroid injections if all else fails. When the tendons have calmed down you can start gentle exercises aimed at strengthening the rotator cuff.

Rotator cuff rehabilitation exercises tend to avoid weights and be Pilates based focusing on control and flexibility. Gentle stretches to begin with and then slow controlled exercises.

With nothing to lose I concentrated on resting my arm and then gradually started on the exercises. My shoulder started to feel better so I continued using the ice packs twice a day and gradually built up the frequency of the exercises, all the time being careful not to do anything that caused pain. After a couple of weeks I felt much better and at the end of six weeks felt fully recovered.

The date for my surgery has gone. I did not have it in the end as my shoulder felt so much better that it seemed pointless. I now do my shoulder exercises for ten minutes every day, on both shoulders, just to be safe. One rotator cuff injury is enough for me. 

Rotator cuff rehabilitation is about exercise, the right kind of exercise done at the right time!
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