Torn Rotator Cuff Treatment - The Good News is That it Rarely Involves Surgery

A torn rotator cuff can come about for a variety of reasons. For most of us it will simply be as a result of wear and tear as we get older. This is an injury that is most common in the over fifties but can also be acquired through a knock or fall or even simply through a repetitive action such as throwing a baseball. This is why it is sometimes referred to as pitcher's shoulder.

Surgery tends to be restricted to the unfortunate few who either manage a complete rotator cuff tear or whose injury does not respond to conventional treatment.

So what is the best form of torn rotator cuff treatment?

Firstly rest! You need to let the muscle heal and if you carry on using it, either it will slow down the recovery process or the worst case scenario is that you will make the injury worse. Depending on which of the rotator cuff muscles you have damaged some of your shoulder movements will be painful. The classic symptoms for a Supraspinatus tear for example are pain when lifting your arm above shoulder height or reaching for anything, pain when reaching behind you and difficulty sleeping because the shoulder is so tender. If you carry on doing the movements that are painful you are going to further damage the muscle which could result in a full thickness tear that will definitely need surgery.

Secondly, treat the inflammation and pain. This could be done with anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen or with cortisone injections. Treating the inflammation will often alleviate the pain simply because a lot of the pain in shoulder injuries is caused by swollen tendons getting pinched. Ultra sound can also be used to help with the inflammation and help to improve healing.

Once the muscle has settled down and movement has become easier you can start exercising the rotator cuff muscles to strengthen them. These exercises will be small exercises with little or no weight or resistance. These are small muscles that often suffer injury as a result of neglect. Most of us are unaware of the importance of these muscles until we suffer an injury, but they are key to a healthy shoulder joint, holding the arm into the socket as we lift and move. A small increase in strength of the rotator cuff can have a dramatic affect on the overall strength of the shoulder joint.

Rotator cuff specific exercises are needed. Don't start working out with weights as this is likely to simply work the major muscles of the shoulder and do nothing for the injured muscles. Rotator cuff exercises will isolate these muscles and get them working again. You'll be surprised how quickly your shoulder will return to full health once you get these muscles working again.

But remember, rest and treat the inflammation before you start any rotator cuff exercises. If you need to modify how you work in order to rest your shoulder then do it. Working through a rotator cuff injury can only lead to further injury.

And finally. It is worth mentioning that self diagnosis of shoulder problems is not a good idea. Different injuries need different treatments and it's worth getting it right just to avoid further problems.

If you found this article useful or just plain interesting then check out my site at http://myrotatorcuffcure.blogspot.com

My name is Nick Bryant and I am an older dad to two young children aged seven and five. I am keen on staying fit and active so that I can enjoy an active life with my children as they grow. Having suffered a shoulder injury that put me out of action for several painful months, I ws keen to share my experience and let others know how I managed a full recovery without surgery despite being told that it was necessary.