Rotator Cuff Injuries and Repair
One of the most frequent musculoskeletal injuries is the rotator cuff injury. Sometimes this type of injury is not associated with symptoms, but usually it is quite painful. A rotator cuff tear or rotator cuff tendonitis can cause you to experience pain and weakness in the shoulder when using your arms. It can be especially painful to lift the arm higher than shoulder level. Luckily, there are a number of ways to treat rotator cuff injuries - both surgical and non-surgical. The type of injury you have, your condition, and your age will be determining factors in deciding which type of treatment is right in your situation.
Rotator cuff injuries occur in two ways. You could either have rotator cuff tendonitis or a rotator cuff tear. It is important to realize that there are a few other conditions that can cause the type of pain one experiences with a rotator cuff injury. For an accurate diagnosis, you will need to see your physician. The first step your physician will take is a physical examination. Following the examination, your doctor may inject your injured shoulder with a local anesthetic. This process will help your doctor in determining exactly what kind of injury you have. If your doctor decides that you have a rotator cuff tear, he or she may send you for some imaging tests. Imaging tests will help pinpoint the location of the injury and confirm whether or not the injury is a tear.
Rotator cuff tendonitis is more common than rotator cuff tear, but the treatment is similar for both. Rest, ice, compression and elevation, also known as RICE therapy, is prescribed for both conditions. Your doctor may also tell you to take an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen. You may also be referred to a physical therapist who will help you to understand how to modify your activities to avoid pain and may also give you instructions on exercises to help strengthen your shoulder. If these measures dont help, your doctor may give you a shot of a steroid/anesthetic mix. This injection will be made directly into the joint to help address your pain.
This sort of non-surgical intervention usually has a 50-50 chance of being effective. If it is to work, you will probably see results in 6 - 12 weeks. Using non-invasive techniques of this sort can be good in a number of ways. When you do not have surgery, you also do not have recovery time. Furthermore, you do not experience any of the risks commonly associated with surgery such as complications caused by anesthesia, permanent stiffening of the joint, or infection. One thing to realize, however, is that this approach can cause the original tear to increase in size. Additionally, even though there is not a set recovery time, you will be operating at less than your usual ability until you have completely recovered. Aside from these considerations is the fact that non-invasive techniques may not be effective. You may end up having surgery after all. If your injury is quite severe, your doctor may bypass the non-invasive option and recommend surgery right from the start.
Click here for more on rotator cuff surgery .
Rotator cuff injuries can be treated surgically in three ways:
The first way is open repair surgery. When open repair surgery is chosen, the surgeon will make a full incision into the shoulder. This large incision has the potential of leaving a large scar; however, this method allows the surgeon to have a great deal of freedom of movement.
Another method that utilizes both an incision and arthroscopy is called mini-open repair surgery. This is an outpatient procedure in which the surgeon makes a smaller incision and uses an arthroscope to see the interior of the shoulder structure. This procedure leaves a much smaller scar.
The third method is known as all arthroscopic surgery. This is the simplest option in that it is an outpatient procedure, and it also leaves the smallest scar.
The doctor will determine which procedure will work best based on the specific injury.
The majority of patients who have rotator cuff surgery experience a decrease in pain and an increase in ROM (range of motion) within four to six months following surgery. In fact, eighty to ninety-five percent of people who have this surgery report satisfaction with the results.
The success of your recovery is dependent on a number of factors. Among them are, your surgeons level of expertise, your fitness level, the severity of your injury, and your compliance with your doctors instructions.
Complications resulting from rotator cuff surgery are quite rare. The most commonly experienced complication is tendon re-tear. This is only experienced by about six percent of patients. Nerve injury may be experienced by one to two percent of patients. Infection may be a problem for one percent of patients. Fewer than one percent complain of stiffness. Less than one percent may have problems with deltoid muscle detachment. - 17268
Rotator cuff injuries occur in two ways. You could either have rotator cuff tendonitis or a rotator cuff tear. It is important to realize that there are a few other conditions that can cause the type of pain one experiences with a rotator cuff injury. For an accurate diagnosis, you will need to see your physician. The first step your physician will take is a physical examination. Following the examination, your doctor may inject your injured shoulder with a local anesthetic. This process will help your doctor in determining exactly what kind of injury you have. If your doctor decides that you have a rotator cuff tear, he or she may send you for some imaging tests. Imaging tests will help pinpoint the location of the injury and confirm whether or not the injury is a tear.
Rotator cuff tendonitis is more common than rotator cuff tear, but the treatment is similar for both. Rest, ice, compression and elevation, also known as RICE therapy, is prescribed for both conditions. Your doctor may also tell you to take an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen. You may also be referred to a physical therapist who will help you to understand how to modify your activities to avoid pain and may also give you instructions on exercises to help strengthen your shoulder. If these measures dont help, your doctor may give you a shot of a steroid/anesthetic mix. This injection will be made directly into the joint to help address your pain.
This sort of non-surgical intervention usually has a 50-50 chance of being effective. If it is to work, you will probably see results in 6 - 12 weeks. Using non-invasive techniques of this sort can be good in a number of ways. When you do not have surgery, you also do not have recovery time. Furthermore, you do not experience any of the risks commonly associated with surgery such as complications caused by anesthesia, permanent stiffening of the joint, or infection. One thing to realize, however, is that this approach can cause the original tear to increase in size. Additionally, even though there is not a set recovery time, you will be operating at less than your usual ability until you have completely recovered. Aside from these considerations is the fact that non-invasive techniques may not be effective. You may end up having surgery after all. If your injury is quite severe, your doctor may bypass the non-invasive option and recommend surgery right from the start.
Click here for more on rotator cuff surgery .
Rotator cuff injuries can be treated surgically in three ways:
The first way is open repair surgery. When open repair surgery is chosen, the surgeon will make a full incision into the shoulder. This large incision has the potential of leaving a large scar; however, this method allows the surgeon to have a great deal of freedom of movement.
Another method that utilizes both an incision and arthroscopy is called mini-open repair surgery. This is an outpatient procedure in which the surgeon makes a smaller incision and uses an arthroscope to see the interior of the shoulder structure. This procedure leaves a much smaller scar.
The third method is known as all arthroscopic surgery. This is the simplest option in that it is an outpatient procedure, and it also leaves the smallest scar.
The doctor will determine which procedure will work best based on the specific injury.
The majority of patients who have rotator cuff surgery experience a decrease in pain and an increase in ROM (range of motion) within four to six months following surgery. In fact, eighty to ninety-five percent of people who have this surgery report satisfaction with the results.
The success of your recovery is dependent on a number of factors. Among them are, your surgeons level of expertise, your fitness level, the severity of your injury, and your compliance with your doctors instructions.
Complications resulting from rotator cuff surgery are quite rare. The most commonly experienced complication is tendon re-tear. This is only experienced by about six percent of patients. Nerve injury may be experienced by one to two percent of patients. Infection may be a problem for one percent of patients. Fewer than one percent complain of stiffness. Less than one percent may have problems with deltoid muscle detachment. - 17268
About the Author:
Dr. Edelson is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine. His clinic, Sports Medicine Oregon, focuses on athletes of all ages. Click here to learn more about Dr. Edelson, ACL Reconstruction in Portland and Sports Injuries in Portland.
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