ROTATOR CUFF TEAR

Rotator Cuff Tear

Rotator Cuff Tear

Introduction

A rotator cuff injury is a condition that can cause shoulder pain. The rotator cuff is made up of 4 shoulder muscles and their tendons. Tendons are strong bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. People can get different types of rotator cuff injuries. One common injury is “tendinopathy,” which is when people have a problem with one of their tendons. In most people with tendinopathy, the tendons are not inflamed or swollen. If they do get inflamed or swollen, doctors call it “tendinitis.” Tendinopathy and tendinitis can happen if people use their rotator cuff muscles too much or do a lot of activity with their arms overhead. Another type of rotator cuff injury is a tear in a tendon (Urwin, Symmons, 1998). Tears can happen if a person falls on the shoulder or moves the shoulder too fast and with too much force. Tears can also happen as a tendon wears out over time.

Discussion

Brief Discussion on Injury

The shoulder is a complex joint; it is quite mobile, but rather unstable. In fact, it is the most painful problems involved in the body. The rotator cuff is a complex of four muscles originates on the scapula. They are dynamic stabilizers of the scapula, surrounding the entire glenohumeral joint. Between these two structures is a bursa that decreases the friction between them. They allow the joint to move in a circular, for activities such as swimming, lifting, dressing and lifting (Sher, Uribe, 1995).

The rotator cuff muscles are:

Supraspinatus

Infraspinatus

Teres minor

Long head of biceps

Because these muscles are regularly used and important, they are susceptible to tearing and breakage due to acute or chronic trauma, as is the case of excessive abuse therefore it is a common injury in athletes.

Causes of the rotator cuff injury

Poor vascularity in the supraspinatus muscle

Progressive muscle degeneration-tendino (Often due to age)

The impact of the rotator cuff in the coraco-acromial arch after 90 degrees of elevation or abduction

Repetitive microtrauma cause of rotator cuff injury.

Lifting

Severe direct trauma (such as an accident)

Falling on the outstretched arms

Arthritis , which prevents proper mobility of the shoulder joint.

The Rotator cuff is the threat to one healthy Shoulder joint. The Tendons are however, considerable wear and thus subject to degeneration. The crack or rupture of the Rotator cuff is very painful injury. A torn Rotator cuff leads to a weakened shoulder. Most of the Patients with a rupture are beyond the 50th year of their life. However, Ruptures can occur at any age.

Mechanism of a rotator cuff injury

Most people with tendinopathy or tendinitis have pain around the tip of the shoulder and outer part of the upper arm. The pain is usually worse when they move their arm over their head or lie on their shoulder. People with a torn tendon usually have shoulder pain and might also have weakness of the shoulder muscles (Farland, 2006). Doctor or nurse will consult and do an exam. If he or she suspects a tear, patient might need an imaging test of ...