[Medical Q&A] Does the shoulder have “sleeves”?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Han Liqiang, deputy chief physician, Tianjin Third Central Hospital

Many people experience shoulder pain as they age. Many of them think that shoulder pain is frozen shoulder and that they can just do more exercise. However, some people feel more pain the more they exercise and are forced to go to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor tells them that it is a rotator cuff injury and that they cannot exercise and must rest. In severe cases, they are told that they need surgery. It seems that the shoulder really has a "sleeve" and the rotator cuff is an anatomical term.

The rotator cuff, also known as the "rotator cuff", is composed of the tendons of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis muscles that start from the scapula and end at the upper end of the humerus. These four groups of tendons fit closely with the shoulder joint capsule when passing through the upper, rear and front of the shoulder joint, and are connected to each other to form a nearly circular tendon plate that surrounds the shoulder joint and plays an important role in the stability of the shoulder joint. Its appearance looks like the sleeve of a garment, so it is called the "rotator cuff". In essence, rotator cuff injury can be understood as a chronic injury of the tendon. It is more common in heavy manual laborers and athletes, and the main manifestations are shoulder pain and limited movement when the shoulder joint is abducted and raised. The diagnosis of rotator cuff injury often requires a doctor's interview and physical examination, while imaging diagnosis mainly relies on magnetic resonance imaging. Once the rotator cuff injury is diagnosed, conservative treatment or surgical treatment can be adopted according to the degree of rotator cuff tear. If you have long-term shoulder pain, you must not be careless. It is best to go to the hospital to consult a doctor to avoid delaying the condition.