What is a rotator cuff injury? Show As sports fans and athletes alike know, shoulder injuries are serious business. They can be extremely painful, limiting, and slow to heal. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that stabilize the shoulder and allow it to move. Physical therapist and founder of WebPT Heidi Jannenga says you should visualize the head of the arm bone as a golf ball, and the area of the shoulder blade as a golf tee. She says, “The rotator cuff serves as a sleeve that enables the ball to spin and roll while remaining on the tee.” The most common rotator cuff injuries are impingements and tears.
Repetitive, overhead motions can wear down the rotator cuff muscles and are thus a common cause of injury. This is why athletes such as baseball pitchers frequently have shoulder issues. A traumatic injury, such as falling onto your arm, can also cause injury. Regardless of how it happens, the risk of a rotator cuff tear increases as we age and the wear on our bodies accumulates. Try using the “RICE” method immediately following an injury: Rest, ice, compression, and elevation work together to reduce pain and swelling. Once swelling has gone down and your arm is no longer painful to move, certain exercises can help you heal and prevent issues such as “frozen shoulder” or loss of range of motion. These exercises include:
If you are comfortable adding weight to these exercises, try using a light dumbbell or resistance band for repetitions. If you do not have a light dumbbell, try using a can of soup.
While these exercises can help build strength after a minor injury, a major or recurring injury requires more attention. Consult a doctor if you experience:
These are symptoms of a more severe injury. Can you rehab a torn rotator cuff without surgery?Physical therapy often can retrain your muscles and bones so your shoulder can work without pain or further damage to your rotator cuff. Even pain from a full-thickness tear can be relieved without surgery through exercises that make other muscles strong enough to pick up the slack.
How long does it take for a torn rotator cuff to heal without surgery?Usually, mild rotator cuff tears or sprains will heal within four weeks. In other severe cases, the recovery might take 4 to 6 months or even longer based on several factors such as the severity of the tear, age, and other health complications.
Can you heal a torn rotator cuff with physical therapy?While physical therapy itself cannot heal a torn rotator cuff tendon, it does strengthen the shoulder muscles and restoring shoulder mechanics. By strengthening all the surrounding muscles, therapy can help compensate for the damaged tendons and improve the mechanics of the shoulder joint.
How can I strengthen my rotator cuff without surgery?What Exercises Can I Do With a Torn Rotator Cuff?. Standing Row. A simple exercise to help strengthen your rotator cuff muscles is the standing row. ... . Internal Rotation. ... . Crossover Arm Stretch. ... . Posterior Stretch. ... . Pendulum swing. ... . Chest Exercises. ... . Dip Movements. ... . Other Shoulder Exercises.. |