Shoulder Specialist in Kenosha, & Burlington, WI

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles of the upper arm. They allow you to raise and rotate the arm. The muscles are attached to the bones by tendons. The tendons of the rotator cuff allow the muscles to move the arm. If the tendons tear, the humerus can’t move as easily in the socket. This makes it hard to move the arm up or away from the body.

As people age and are less active, tendons start to degenerate and lose strength. This weakening can lead to a rotator cuff tear. Most rotator cuff injuries happen to middle-aged or older adults who already have shoulder problems. They can happen in younger people too. The shoulder has a poor blood supply. This makes it harder for the tendons to repair and maintain themselves. Using your arm overhead puts pressure on the rotator cuff tendons. Repetitive movement or stress to these tendons can lead to impingement. This is when the tissue or bone in that area becomes misaligned and rubs or chafes.

The rotator cuff tendons can be injured or torn by trying to lift a very heavy object with an extended arm. It can also happen from falling, or by trying to catch a heavy falling object.

Symptoms of a torn rotator cuff include tenderness and soreness in the shoulder when using the shoulder. If the tendon has ruptured, you may not be able to raise the arm at all. It may be hard to sleep lying on that side. You may feel pain when pressure is put on the shoulder.

Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. If the tear is not complete, your healthcare provider may suggest RICE, for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Resting the shoulder is probably the most important part of treatment. But, after the pain has eased, you will need to start physical therapy to regain shoulder movement. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for pain.

This extreme stiffness in the shoulder can happen at any age. It affects about 2% of Americans, most often between 40 and 60 years of age. But the causes are not fully understood. Frozen shoulder can affect people with diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, or Parkinson disease. It can also happen if the shoulder has been immobile for a period of time. It happens when a minor shoulder injury heals with scar tissue that affects how the joint moves. This scar tissue reduces flexibility in the shoulder and makes it more prone to injury. The main symptom is the not being able to move the shoulder in any direction without pain. Treatment can be NSAIDs, cortisone shots, or physical therapy. You can reduce further injury and stiffness by stretching before starting activities.

A sudden increase in activity can place great stress on the shoulders and lead to a loss of flexibility. This is a common problem in middle age, especially among people who don’t exercise regularly, but go out every now and then for an intense sport.

Although painful and inconvenient, overuse problems can often be treated with rest, NSAIDs and stretching exercises.

Starting as early as age 50, some people get osteoarthritis, which causes painful movement. This happens as the smooth surfaces of the cartilage that line the bones of the shoulder joint are worn away, and joints start to wear out and become larger. The most common cause of osteoarthritis is overuse. Treatments for arthritis in the shoulder depend on the severity of pain. The usual treatments are rest, NSAIDs, and cortisone shots. In some cases, a replacement of the shoulder joint is needed.