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Shoulder Rehabilitation For Rotator Cuff Injuries

By: Nick Bryant

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If you have acquired a rotator cuff injury then you will need to consider some sort of shoulder rehabilitation exercises to get things functioning properly again but what sort and when should you start them?

There are different types of rotator cuff injury and the treatment may vary depending on what you have done and how long it has been going on.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles. These muscles all help to hold the arm tight against the socket of the shoulder joint to help when you rotate your arm. That and the fact that they combine to form a cuff of muscle around the joint is what gives them their name.

Two of these muscles, the infraspinatus and the supraspinatus are the most commonly damaged muscles of the four. Any sports activity that involves a lot of shoulder rotation puts these two muscles under a great deal of stress, pitching in baseball or bowling in cricket are a couple of examples.

You can tear your rotator cuff in different ways.

An acute tear is usually the result of a sports injury or fall. They are caused by a sudden force being put on the muscle. You are likely to feel a tearing sensation as it happens and the muscle may well go into spasm when you attempt to move it. There may also be a tender spot at the sight of the tear. Trying to move your arm out to the side without help could be painful or difficult.

A Chronic tear on the other hand comes about as a result of wear and tear. It is caused by the tendons rubbing against bone. It might be work related, if, for example your work involves constantly working above shoulder height. Painting and decorating is a classic example of an occupation that is prone to rotator cuff problems. It also comes about through age. As we get older our posture changes, sometimes resulting in muscles working differently which can result in the rubbing that eventually injures your tendons.

It is important with shoulder rehabilitation to stop using the shoulder. With an acute tear it could well be worth immobilising the arm in a sling. But with both types of injury you need to avoid any movement that causes pain. At the same time treat the pain and inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs and ice packs. If the problems persist for more than two or three days you need to consult a doctor to get checked out.

Treatment may take the form of surgery especially if you have managed to get a severe shoulder impingement or use your shoulders a lot in your work but the majority of shoulder injuries can be treated with rest, ice and anti-inflammatory drugs followed by exercise once the inflammation and pain has subsided.

Do not try carrying on with a rotator cuff problem as it will make things worse. Exercise will consist of low resistance exercises aimed at isolating and developing the rotator cuff muscles. pilates and Yoga based exercises are excellent for shoulder rehabilitation because they work with the body's natural resistance working one muscle against another so are unlikely to cause any further injury.

Whether you have surgery or not, gentle, shoulder specific exercise is the key to shoulder rehabilitation. The difference is in the timing.

Do not forget to keep up the exercises once your shoulder is better. Keep your rotator cuff strong and have healthy shoulders for life. One rotator cuff injury is enough for anyone.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

If you liked this article and would like more information on shoulder rehabilitation check out my blog at myrotatorcuffcure.blogspot.com

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