Shoulder Rehab For Rotator Cuff Problems



Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009

by Nick Bryant

If you have acquired a rotator cuff injury then you will need to think about some sort of shoulder rehabilitation exercises to get things functioning properly again but what sort and when should you start them?

There are different sorts of rotator cuff injury and the treatment may be slightly different depending on what you have done and how long it has been going on.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles. They all help to hold the humerus or upper arm bone tight against the socket of the shoulder joint to help when you rotate your arm. That and the fact that they combine to form a cuff of muscle around the joint is what gives them their name.

Two of these muscles, the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus are the most commonly damaged muscles of the four. Any sports activity that involves a lot of shoulder rotation puts these two muscles under a great deal of stress, pitching in baseball or bowling in cricket are a couple of examples.

You can tear your rotator cuff in different ways.

An acute tear is usually the result of a sports injury or fall. This is caused by a sudden force being exerted on the muscle. You are likely to feel a tearing sensation as it happens and the muscle may well go into spasm whenever you try to move it. There may also be a tender spot at the sight of the tear. Trying to move your arm out to the side without help will be painful and at best difficult.

A Chronic tear on the other hand comes about as a result of wear and tear. It is caused by the tendons rubbing against bone. It could be work related, if, for example you are constantly working above shoulder height. Painting and decorating is an example of an occupation prone to rotator cuff problems. It also comes about through age. As we get older our posture changes, sometimes resulting in muscles working differently which can result in the rubbing that eventually injures your tendons.

It is important with any type of shoulder rehabilitation to stop using your shoulder. With an acute tear it could well be worth immobilising the arm in a sling. But whatever type of injury you need to avoid any movement that causes pain. At the same time treat the inflammation and pain with ice packs and anti-inflammatory drugs. If the symptoms persist for more than two or three days you need to consult a doctor to get checked out.

Treatment might involve surgery especially if you have managed to get a severe shoulder impingement or use your shoulders a lot at work but the majority of shoulder injuries are treated successfully with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory drugs followed by exercise once the inflammation and pain has subsided.

Do not try carrying on with a rotator cuff problem as it can only make it worse. Exercise will involve low resistance exercises aimed at isolating and developing the rotator cuff muscles. Yoga and Pilates based exercises are good for shoulder rehabilitation because they work with the body's natural resistance working one muscle against another so are unlikely to cause any further injury.

Whether you have surgery or not, gentle, shoulder specific exercise is the key to shoulder rehabilitation. The difference is in the timing.

Do not forget to keep up shoulder rehab once your shoulder is better. Keep your rotator cuff strong and have healthy shoulders for life. One rotator cuff injury is enough for anyone.
Nick Bryant lives in Shropshire in the UK with his wife and two young children where he is a director in their family recruitment business. His hobbies and interests tend to be family orientated and focussed on the outdoors and sporting activities. He is the proud owner of a vintage VW camper and he and his family spend a great deal of their spare time at the coast camping, body-boarding and surfing in the summer months. He is also a keen golfer. He writes on a number of subjects around personal health and well being and has recently started a blog at http://www.strongershoulders.com.
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