A rotator cuff injury is usually a strain or tear of the rotator cuff - the muscles, tendons and joint capsule that stabilises your shoulder. Injury often involves a tear to the rotator cuff tendons (the thick bands of tissue that connect the muscles to the bones).
The most common site of a tear is in the supraspinatus tendon. Severe injuries can cause several of the tendons and muscles to tear.
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include pain and tenderness in the shoulder, pain on elevating the arm, weakness of the shoulder, and pain when sleeping on the affected side.
The mainstay of treatment includes treating the pain and restoring best possible function. This may include resting the shoulder from aggravating activities, taking anti-inflammatory medicines, and special exercises and physical therapy.
Corticosteroid injections with local anaesthetic are useful in some cases, if other conservative treatments have not helped. Surgery may be needed in patients who have a large or full thickness tear, particularly if they are young, or for long term symptoms or significant weakness and poor function.
