Rotator Cuff Injuries Summary Your rotator cuff is located in your shoulder area. It is made of muscles and tendons. It helps your shoulder to move and stay stable. Problems with the rotator cuff are common. They include tendinitis, bursitis, and injuries such as tears. Rotator cuff tendons can become inflamed from frequent use or aging. Sometimes they are injured from a fall on an outstretched hand. Sports or jobs with repeated overhead motion can also damage the rotator cuff. Aging causes tendons to wear down, which can lead to a tear. Some tears are not painful, but others can be very painful. Treatment for a torn rotator cuff depends on age, health, how severe the injury is, and how long you’ve had the torn rotator cuff. Treatment for torn rotator cuff includes: Rest Heat or cold to the sore area Medicines that reduce pain and swelling Electrical stimulation of muscles and nerves Ultrasound Cortisone injection Surgery NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Diagnosis and Tests Arthrography Array Shoulder MRI Array Shoulder Pain American Academy of Family Physicians Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Rotator Cuff Injuries National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Impingement Syndrome National Institutes of Health Statistics and Research Corticosteroid Injections Versus Manual Physical Therapy for Treatment of the Shoulder Impingement Syndrome American College of Physicians Treatments and Therapies Cortisone Shots Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Rotator Cuff Tears: Surgical Treatment Options American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Shoulder Arthroscopy American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Shoulder Joint Replacement American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Living With Exercise and Shoulder Pain American College of Sports Medicine Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Conditioning Program American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Rotator Cuff Exercises American Academy of Family Physicians Find an Expert National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Journal Articles Rotator Cuff Injuries Array Rotator cuff – self-care Rotator cuff exercises Rotator cuff problems Rotator cuff repair Shoulder arthroscopy Shoulder replacement Start Here Rotator Cuff Injury Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Rotator Cuff Tears American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Videos and Tutorials Rotator Cuff Repair OR-Live Shoulder Arthroscopy OR-Live Images Rotator cuff repair – slideshow Specifics Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Tear (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Shoulder Impingement Syndrome (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Shoulder Impingement/Rotator Cuff Tendinitis American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Children Shoulder Impingement Treatment American Academy of Pediatrics Health Check Tools Shoulder Injury DSHI Systems Shoulder Pain (One Shoulder) DSHI Systems
