Is shoulder pain caused by frozen shoulder? No, it could also be caused by rotator cuff injury

Therapists often hear people say that they or people around them have night pain in the neck and shoulders, and pain or significant limitation when raising their arms above the head, sometimes accompanied by radiating pain to the neck and upper limbs. They say they have frozen shoulder. Do you have any good solutions?

In fact, this is not necessarily frozen shoulder, it is very likely to be rotator cuff injury!

01 What is rotator cuff injury

Rotator cuff injury refers to the injury of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor muscles that make up the rotator cuff. After the injury, it will cause pain and limited movement of the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is a functional complex composed of the above four tendons. It wraps around the humeral head in the form of a sleeve, maintains the stability of the glenohumeral joint, and provides the movement required for shoulder joint movement. The main function of the supraspinatus muscle is shoulder abduction, of course, the abduction function also requires the assistance of the deltoid muscle. The main functions of the infraspinatus and teres minor are external rotation of the shoulder joint, and the main function of the subscapularis is internal rotation of the shoulder joint.

02 What causes rotator cuff injury?

Rotator cuff degeneration

Tendons show degenerative manifestations such as cell degeneration, calcium salt deposition, and fibrinoid thickening. These changes are rare in adults under 40 years old, but tend to worsen with age.

Local stress environment and blood supply

The area 1 cm distal to the supraspinatus tendon is avascular, and is also the site where rotator cuff tears occur most frequently. However, other parts of the rotator cuff, such as the infraspinatus tendon, are also often injured. Therefore, in addition to blood supply factors, there are other factors for rotator cuff injury.

trauma

Rotator cuff injuries directly caused by trauma are rare and mostly occur in young patients. In most patients, the rotator cuff ruptures due to trauma after the strength of the rotator cuff decreases on the basis of degeneration.

Occupational factors

People who do overhead work or high-intensity work on their upper limbs are prone to rotator cuff injuries. 90% of rotator cuff injuries occur in the supraspinatus, involving the infraspinatus and/or subscapularis, and in rare cases, the teres minor. The subscapularis can be injured alone due to the impact of the coracoid process, while the infraspinatus and teres minor are rarely injured alone.

03 Symptoms of rotator cuff injury

When the rotator cuff is injured, the patient often feels a tearing sound, local swelling, and subcutaneous bleeding. After the injury, local pain is limited to the top of the shoulder and radiates to the insertion point of the deltoid muscle. There is obvious tenderness between the greater tuberosity and the acromion. If the rotator cuff tear passes under the acromion, there will be a snapping sound, and the snapping sound is more obvious in cases of complete rupture. Those with mild rotator cuff rupture will experience pain during shoulder abduction. When the rotator cuff rupture is larger, the affected arm cannot be abducted, but is replaced by shrugging. Due to the damage to the rotator cuff, the deltoid muscle contracts, and the humerus moves upward along its vertical axis, forcing the scapula to slide and rotate on the chest wall, resulting in abnormal shoulder joint movement and weakened resistance abduction force.

04Treatment of Rotator Cuff Injury

Treatment of a rotator cuff injury depends on the type of rotator cuff injury and how long ago it occurred.

In the acute phase of rotator cuff contusion, partial rupture or complete rupture, non-surgical treatments such as rest, traction, and triangular bandage suspension are generally used, while local physical therapy is applied to eliminate swelling and relieve pain.

For those with severe pain, you can take appropriate medications under the guidance of a doctor to relieve the pain.

Severe injuries and tears of the rotator cuff generally cannot heal on their own and should be treated surgically.

After postoperative physical therapy and rehabilitation training, patients who have undergone rotator cuff repair can recover most of their shoulder joint function, relieve pain, and be able to lead a normal life.

05 Prevention of Rotator Cuff Injury

Pay attention to keeping your shoulders warm on a daily basis. Especially for the elderly, it is best to add a warm shawl when resting in an air-conditioned room in summer.

To prevent rotator cuff injuries, it is important to prevent sports injuries.

Warm up

Warm up before exercise by rotating your upper arms slowly and in a controlled manner. This can help stretch and exercise your rotator cuff muscles and prevent rotator cuff injuries.

Pay attention to shoulder reaction

During exercise, you should consciously feel the reaction of your shoulder. If you feel pain or other discomfort, you should stop exercising, take necessary protective measures and seek treatment in time.

Don’t overdo it <br /> Don’t overdo exercise, especially in the gym. For example, after training your pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi, you shouldn’t do a high-intensity shoulder exercise. It’s even worse to exercise when you’re tired.