Rotator cuff pain ❓

🤔Pain on outside of the shoulder /arm due to tendons and muscles around the shoulder is called rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP)

💪🏼Muscles that stabilise and move the shoulder joint and arm are called rotator cuff muscles / tendons. Comprises of Bursitis , tendonitis , tendinipathy, tears etc. symptoms.

👵Age - 35 to 75 years of age

❤️‍🩹Can take about 16-18 weeks or more.

🤔 Causes -

• Overuse injuries - repetitive load

• Trauma/tears

• Degenerative (age related wear )

• Overhead and reaching activities

• Inactivity related weakness

😩 Symptoms -

• Pain in overhead activities

• Pain in 70-120 degrees arm movements

• Pain lying on the affected side

• Painful weakness in the affected arm

🧐Diagnosis -

• Healthcare professionals do physical assessment to diagnose this condition

• Pain in the arm with overhead activities and on resistance

• X-ray or Ultrasound or MRI - not required unless sinister pathology is suspected

🩺Management -

• Relative rest - in acute cases reduce the painful activities , spread them out throughout the day

• Activity modification - Adapt the painful activities

• Pain relief- gel , medications alongside exercises

• Rehab - Loading the rotator cuff within limits and challenging it with improvement is the best way to improve movement and function

• Injections- Occasionally injections are suggested for pain and function

• Surgery - If the above fails then investigations and further open ion might be required

Lewis J. Rotator cuff related shoulder pain: Assessment, management and uncertainties. Man Ther. 2016 Jun;23:57-68. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2016.03.009. Epub 2016 Mar 26. PMID: 27083390.

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