Rotator Cuff Disease
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
What is the rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff is the group of four tendons that stabilize the
shoulder joint. The tendons hook up to the four muscles that move
the shoulder in various directions.
There are four muscles whose tendons form the rotator cuff: the subscapularis muscle, which moves the arm by turning it inward
(internal rotation); the supraspinatus muscle, which is responsible
for elevating the arm and moving it away from the body; the
infraspinatus muscle, which assists the lifting of the arm during
turning the arm outward (external rotation); and the teres minor
muscle, which also helps in the outward turning of the arm.
What is rotator cuff disease?
Rotator cuff disease is damage to the rotator cuff from any cause.
This condition is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain.
How is the rotator cuff injured?
The rotator cuff can be injured because of degeneration with aging or
inflammation due to tendinitis, bursitis, or arthritis of the
shoulder. The rotator cuff is commonly injured by trauma (such as
from falling and injuring the shoulder or overuse in sports).
Rotator cuff injury is particularly common in people who perform
repetitive overhead motions that can stress the rotator cuff. These
motions are frequently associated with muscle fatigue.
What are symptoms of rotator cuff disease?
The most common symptom of rotator cuff disease is shoulder pain.
The pain is often noticed gradually and may be first noticed even a
day after the actual event which may have caused the injury.
Sometimes, a sudden pain occurs during a sport activity. The pain is
usually located to the front and side of the shoulder and is
increased when the shoulder is moved away from the body. The pain is
usually noted to be more intense at nighttime and sometimes increases
when lying on the affected shoulder. The pain can diminish and result in a frozen shoulder. There can also be tenderness in the area of the inflamed tendons of the injured rotator cuff.
People with rotator cuff disease usually find it difficult to lift
the arm away from the body fully. If the rotator cuff disease
involves severe tears of the rotator cuff tendons, it can be
impossible for the patient to hold the arm up because of pain.
Next: How is rotator cuff disease diagnosed? »
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