Rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy is a common shoulder injury characterized by pain and weakness, often resulting from repetitive movements. Read on to learn about rotator cuff injuries, treatment options, exercises, and how Leaside Sports Medicine can help.
What is Rotator Cuff (RC) Tendinopathy?
- Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy is one of the most common injuries to the shoulder. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. The muscles are the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, and the Subscapularis.
- It refers to shoulder pain and weakness, usually caused by certain repetitive movements. The cause and etiology are often multifactorial, which is why it may require therapist attention and assessment to find the best intervention for faster recovery.
Risk Factors
- The likelihood of developing RC Tendinopathy can increase due to awkward/poor postures, heavy and sudden change in workload, repetitive arm movements and lack of rest.
- Other physiological risk factors, such as metabolic disorders, muscle imbalance, and advancing age, make people more susceptible to RC tendinopathy.
Presentation:
- RC tendinopathy usually presents with many different symptoms; however, the most common include pain with overhead movements, reaching behind your back, and/or raising your arm out to the side.
One of the most successful ways to treat this is with physiotherapy and exercise!
Two Exercises to Improve Range of Motion and Reduce Pain
Isometric Shoulder Exercises
These are a quick and easy way to start loading your tendon and help reduce some shoulder pain. You can start by standing next to a door frame and pressing and holding for 15-20 seconds, doing this for 3-5 reps, 3x/day.
Side-lying External Rotation ROM Exercises
To start getting back range of motion (ROM), you can start to work in side lying and work against gravity. 3 sets of 10 reps 1x a day.
All exercises should be pain-free; however, if pain persists for more than a week, discontinue the exercise and consult a physiotherapist or other medical professional.
