What causes a rotator cuff injury?
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Dr. Matthew C. Evans of Intermountain Healthcare answered:There are many types of rotator cuff injuries. Here are some of the more common types.
Tendonitis/Bursitis-This is overuse of the rotator cuff muscles. It is essentially doing too much activity involving the shoulder in too short of an amount of time. Inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons and the overlying bursa is the cause of the pain.
Impingement-This is a mechanical issue where the rotator cuff muscles get caught, or pinched, in between two pieces of bone ( the humeral head and the underside of the acromion) when the shoulder is raised. Initially inflammation is involved, but with time degenerative changes can occur. This can be related to muscle weakness, fracture, or anatomical differences in the surrounding bone.
Tendonosis- This is chronic change or degeneration of the rotator cuff tendons. It can be caused by tendonitis that did not heal or impingement that is not treated.
Rotator Cuff Tears-In younger patients, this is generally caused by some sort of trauma. Common ways are falling on an elbow or falling and grabbing on to an object, like a stair rail for support, but there are many ways of doing this, especially when sports are involved. In older patients, this can result from comparatively more mild trauma or just age related to chronic tendonosis. Many patients over the age of 65 have rotator cuff tears, but not all have pain.
There are many types of rotator cuff injuries. Here are some of the more common types. Tendonitis/Bursitis-This is overuse of the rotator cuff muscles. It is essentially doing too much activity involving the shoulder in too short of an amount of... More -
Healthwise answered:In a rotator cuff disorder, tendons that make up the rotator cuff get squeezed and rub against bone. They become damaged and irritated. This causes bleeding and inflammation. The tendons can develop scar tissue, which is not as strong and flexible as normal tendon tissue. Over time, the tendons get weaker and less flexible. Eventually, they can tear.
Normal wear and tear and overuse cause most rotator cuff problems.
It takes great force to tear a healthy rotator cuff tendon. This can happen during sports, an accident or a severe fall. But even a simple movement like lifting a suitcase can cause a rotator cuff tear in an older adult or someone whose shoulder is already damaged.
In a rotator cuff disorder, tendons that make up the rotator cuff get squeezed and rub against bone. They become damaged and irritated. This causes bleeding and inflammation. The tendons can develop scar tissue, which is not as strong and... More
