08/09/2018
ROTATOR CUFF SYNDROME
What Does A Torn Rotator Cuff Feel Like?
Rotator cuff injury is one of the common causes of shoulder pain in individuals. To ensure that your shoulder pain is only because of torn rotator cuff, it is important to study the causes of pain, symptoms and also the reason of such condition. It is important to know what it feels like to have a torn rotator cuff and how long does rotator cuff injury take to heal. This information can give you an insight into understanding the possibility of rotator cuff in your case and prompt you to seek timely medical opinion.
Torn rotator cuff can be defined as a tear in one or more of the tendons of the four rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. This rotator cuff tear can be chronic or acute due to pathological reason or traumatic injury.
What Does A Torn Rotator Cuff Feel Like?
When you wonder what it feels like to have a torn rotator cuff, you need to know the signs and symptoms of torn rotator cuff. Some of the commonest signs of what rotator cuff looks like include:
Pain
The pain occurring from rotator cuff injury occurs at the outer side of shoulder and the upper arm. Such pain also occurs while performing overhead activities or usually happens in the night. If in case the torn rotator cuff is serious, then the pain might awaken the patients from sleep and make them feel stressed.
Decreased Strength
Strength of each rotator cuff tendons can be tested separately by the doctor. They can isolate each tendon and work to find out the extent of tear on each one of them. If in case, significant tears have occurred, the patient will find it difficult to raise their arms over head. Individuals might also find it difficult to hold arm directly out from the body and this is one of the prominent signs of rotator cuff tear.
Inability To Do Normal Tasks
Individuals suffering from rotator cuff tear find it difficult to perform their day to day activities, which include combing their hair, sleeping on the affected shoulder, hooking or unhooking their bra buttons etc. While approaching the doctor patient should ensure to specify activities which have got limited due to shoulder pain.
On average, with appropriate treatment for a torn rotator cuff, it may take around four to six months to heal. However, it depends on the severity of the injury, type of treatment and the rehabilitation.
EXERCISE TO PREVENT SHOULDER PAIN
Pendulum exercise
Stand with your good hand resting on a chair. Let your other
arm hang down and try to swing it gently backwards and forwards and in a circular motion.
Repeat about 5 times. Try this 2–3 times a day.
Shoulder stretch
Stand and raise your shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. Squeeze your shoulder blades back and together and hold for 5 seconds. Pull your shoulder blades downward and hold
for 5 seconds. Relax and repeat 10 times.
Door lean
Stand in a doorway with both arms on the wall slightly above your head. Slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in the
front of your shoulders. Hold for 15–30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times. This exercise isn’t suitable if you have a shoulder impingement.
