Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injuries

The rotator cuff is a vital group of muscles and their tendons that surround and stabilise your shoulder joint. Injuries to this area are common and can range from simple inflammation (known as tendinitis) to more severe partial or complete tears of these crucial tendons.

If you have a rotator cuff injury, you’ll likely experience:

• Pain in the shoulder, which can worsen with movement or at night.
• Weakness, making it hard to lift your arm or perform daily tasks.
• Restricted range of motion, limiting how far you can move your arm.
• Clicking or popping sounds when you move your shoulder.

How physiotherapy helps rotator cuff injuries

For many rotator cuff injuries, physiotherapy is the main treatment. A tailored physiotherapy programme is designed to help you recover, improve shoulder function, reduce pain, and often avoid the need for surgery.

Here’s how physiotherapy can guide your recovery:

• Easing pain: Various techniques are used, including ice therapy and specific exercises, to significantly reduce your discomfort.
• Restoring movement: Through a combination of passive (where the therapist moves your arm) and active (where you move your arm) exercises, your shoulder’s range of motion will gradually improve.
• Building strength: A progressive exercise programme will target the rotator cuff muscles themselves, as well as the muscles that stabilise your shoulder blade (scapula), to restore strength and stability.
• Enhancing control and awareness (proprioception): Exercises will help improve your body’s awareness of your shoulder’s position in space and enhance your ability to control its movements, reducing the risk of re-injury.
• Functional rehabilitation: As you progress, exercises will become more specific to your daily activities, work, or sports, helping you safely return to the things you love.
• Stabilising the shoulder blade: Dedicated exercises will focus on strengthening the muscles that control the movement and stability of your shoulder blade, which is vital for overall shoulder health.
• Patient education: You’ll learn essential strategies for modifying activities, understanding proper shoulder mechanics, and preventing future injuries. This empowers you to manage your condition long-term.