What You Need To Know About Rupture Of The Rotator Cuff

Rupture of the rotator cuff is a common shoulder injury in middle-aged people. It is therefore one of the leading causes of shoulder pain. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about tearing the rotator cuff.

Unfortunately, the shoulder is a part of the body prone to atrophy, and this often leads to discomfort in the area. In fact , any injury in this area is very crippling and painful.

What is a rupture of the rotator cuff?

A rupture of the rotator cuff affects an estimated four in 100,000 people each year.

Note that its incidence increases with age; in fact, most of the people who suffer from it are between the ages of 50 and 60. Usually, this is because the injuries to that joint are closely related to aging and degeneration of the body. Impacts are less likely to cause a rupture of the rotator cuff, unlike other joint injuries.

Most often, a rupture of the rotator cuff occurs in people who make constant shoulder movements at work or in their free time. They occur, for example, in athletes, carpenters and painters.

What is a Rotator Cuff?

As already mentioned, the rotator cuff is a set of muscles and tendons. They all surround the joint and hold the humerus (humerus) in place. They also allow for normal hand movements, such as arm rotation and lifting. These muscles are small, but they make the movements precise and coordinated. They are:

• Supraspinatus, upper shoulder muscle
• Subcapsular, subcutaneous muscle

• Infraspinatus, lower shoulder muscle
• Small skeletal muscle

Of all these, the supraspinatus tendon is the most prone to injury. It is responsible for the lateral lifting of the arm, so an injury in this area makes such a movement painful and difficult to perform.

What you need to know about tearing the rotator cuff

What causes the rotator cuff to rupture?

Usually, a rupture of the rotator cuff occurs as a result of repeated use within the tendon, for example, when lifting heavy objects and keeping the arm elevated for long periods of time.

However, it can also arise as a result of a sudden injury. This is less common, but sometimes a fall or sudden movement can lead to a rupture. However, the most common factors associated with rupture of the rotator cuff are:

• Age. As we have already mentioned, this disability mainly affects people between the ages of 50 and 60.

• Certain jobs, such as carpentry or construction. In these works, the same repetitive movements are made continuously.
• Playing sports such as tennis or baseball.
• The disorder has occurred in the person or his family in the past.

Symptoms of rupture of the rotator cuff

Symptoms depend on the severity of the injury. However, the main symptom is shoulder pain and restriction of all movements of this joint.

Some people experience problems mainly at night; it is almost impossible for them to sleep on the side where the injury is located. Also, cleaning procedures such as brushing, dressing and even washing are much more difficult.

A rupture of the rotator cuff can lead to serious complications if not treated in time, as a limb that remains too passive will atrophy even more. This complicates treatment to some extent. If this joint does not stay in motion enough, it can lead to chronic weakness of the shoulder.

What to know about rupture of the rotator cuff: diagnosis

Initially, your doctor will perform a physical examination to diagnose a rupture of the rotator cuff by examining shoulder mobility, strength, and possible joint pain.

The doctor also often makes use of complementary tests such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, as ultrasound imaging makes it possible to examine tendons and muscles as a person moves. In addition, it is a preferred and non-invasive method.

Finally

As mentioned at the beginning, rupture of the rotator cuff is a common injury in middle-aged people. It is a very disabling injury, so you should see a doctor as soon as possible when these symptoms occur.