5 Types of Rotator Cuff Problems you Should Know Of

All the muscles and tendons that hold the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade together are collectively known as ‘rotator cuff’. They hold the ball-head of the humerus firmly in the shoulder socket and control some of the rotary movements of the shoulder & contribute to its stability. It generally consists of four categories of muscles, i.e., Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis, and Teres minor.

‘Rotator Cuff Injury’ is a general term which defines the different types of injuries a rotator cuff may suffer from. These injuries are quite common, especially in athletes involved in contact sports like basketball, football, volleyball, swimming, etc. where the rotator cuff muscles are used extensively. And although these problems maybe caused due to different reasons, there are some shoulder-related signs which are shared amongst them, such as aching muscles, sudden weakness and restricted overhead movements.

Rotator-cuff problems usually occur due to trauma and may become chronic over time. Some of these problems are more common than others, such as:

Tendonitis / tendinosis :

• Rotator cuff tendonitis is a condition where the muscles and tendons become inflamed and cause severe irritation and pain.
• It is a ‘repetitive motion injury’ caused due to overuse or straining of the muscles beyond their flexibility.
• It is highly potential in athletes involved in overhead motion sports like tennis, volleyball, swimming, etc. and hence is also referred to as ‘swimmer’s shoulder’ or ‘tennis shoulder’.
• However, it may also be caused due to long term inactivity or consistently sleeping over the same shoulder.

Bursitis:

• When the small fluid packets, known as ‘bursae’, that cushion the shoulder joint gets overused or damaged due to overstretching repetitive movements, they get inflamed and start affecting the rotator cuff muscles adversely.
• Activities like throwing a ball which jerk the shoulder muscles in different directions can cause irritation of the bursae over time.

Tendon Strain or Tears:

• A sudden traumatic shoulder accident can cause the rotator cuff muscles to strain or tear off. These muscles may also lose their strength due to ageing and overload. Such tears can either be partial or complete.
• A  partial tear is where the muscles are frayed due to straining but are partially intact to the joint bones which may heal after appropriate treatment.
• A complete tear detaches the entire tendon muscles from its bone or breaks it at a point. Such muscle tears do not heal and require surgical treatments for regaining the joint’s basic movements.

Shoulder Impingement:

• Shoulder impingement is a case where the rotator cuff muscles start scrubbing or grabbing over the joint bones, causing persistent pain in the shoulder while moving.
• Due to the resistance that they create against the bones, they start to swell and inflict self-damage.
• If avoided for a long time, shoulder impingement may cause severe rotator cuff tears.

Degenerative Wear and Tear:

• This factor is often avoided and underrated as the problems occur over a long period after one has aged.
• It doesn’t matter if you’re involved in any athletic activities or not. Rotator cuff muscles, like any other body part, lose their strength and resilience as they grow older and become prone to damage.
• If one doesn’t practice regular exercise and precautions, the chances of their rotator cuff muscles being injured will always be high.

If you have faced any of these problems and need medical opinions from a shoulder specialist in Mumbai, then you must pay a visit to DrPranjal Kodkani.

Dr Kodkani (M.S.(ORTHO) D.(ORTHO)(CPS)) is widely commended for his extensive orthopaedic joint preservation surgeries and is considered to the most adept shoulder surgeon in Mumbai. You can also visit Dr Kodkani’s website to learn about the numerous orthopaedic problems and solutions he can help you cure.