The Rotor Cup (Rotator Cuff)

Rotator cuff problems hurt.  There.  I've said it.

I have a lot of people tell me how high their pain tolerance is  For most of them, it is quite the opposite.  uBt when their problems involve the rotator cuff,I can believe them.

I know...I've been there.  I had surgery on both shoulders to solve what was basically a rotator cuff problem.  Dr. Eric Morgan did one and Dr. Todd Griffith did the other.

Let's go over the rotator cuff a little bit.  The name really throws people off.

Think about the cuff on a shirt.  Ok, I know...most shirts don't have a cuff anymore.  But think of a men's dress shirt.  The cuff at the end of the sleeve  if unfastened looks sort of like a horseshoe, circling around the wrist but open on the end.

That's pretty much what the rotator cuff looks like. 

And it's made up of four muscles that form that cuff.   The Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, and Subscapularis.  (Don't worry about remembering those--there won't be a pop quiz at the end of the column.)

Those muscles may be small but they play a hugely important role in shoulder function.  Without them, the big muscles of the shoulder, the Deltoid, the Pectoral muscles, and others cannot do their job. 

It's sort of like "when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  If the rotator cuff isn't working well, you've definitely got an unhappy shoulder.

Injuries play a big part in rotator cuff problems.  Shoulder dislocations and partial dislocations (most often called subluxations) certainly can damage the rotator cuff.  So can falls.

Posture can be a huge part of chronic shoulder  problems.  Basically the upper arm bone (the Humerus) sits too far forward in the shoulder socket in bad posture and can pinch on the rotator cuff.   That's also where the term "impingement" comes from--it's another name for pinching.

If that goes on long enough, it will do damage to the rotator cuff.

Dr. Shane Asbury is an orthopedic surgeon at Maryville Orthopedic Clinic. In his practice, Dr. Asbury sees a variety of shoulder problems, some of which need surgery. 

According to Dr. Asbury, "most rotator cuff problems are best managed non-operatively with NSAIDs, PT, and steroid injections. Only after conservative treatment fails should a person be considered for a surgical intervention (the exceptions being younger patients and some traumas)."

Exercise is a big part shoulder rehabilitation, regardless of whether surgery is performed or not. 

But if surgery is necessary, the outcomes are good.  You can expect full function and a pain-free shoulder.  I can personally attest to that.