When you have a rotator cuff injury, you probably feel pain each time you take a deep breath, try to extend your arm, or bend down to put on your shoes. Because rotator cuff injuries can be incredibly life-altering, the expert practitioners at Texas Orthopaedic Associates offer comprehensive rotator cuff treatments, including arthroscopic surgery, if needed. Book your shoulder evaluation at their offices in Dallas, Plano, Weatherford, Keller, and Fort Worth, Texas, by clicking on the online scheduler. You can also call your nearest location directly.
ROTATOR CUFF Q&A
What is the rotator cuff?
Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made up of your scapula (shoulder blade), clavicle (collarbone), and humerus (upper arm bone). The job of your rotator cuff — a band of muscles that work together as connective tendons — is to keep your arm in your shoulder socket.
Your rotator cuff allows you to move your arm in just about any direction. It’s even protected by fluid-filled sacs known as bursa. Because your rotator cuff rests snugly over the head of your humerus inside your socket though, wear-and-tear conditions and even acute injuries can easily occur.
What are the symptoms of a rotator cuff injury?
Some rotator cuff injuries occur because of overuse, like if you play a throwing sport such as baseball. Other times, you can tear or damage your rotator cuff when you experience trauma, including a slip and fall accident. When you tear one or more of your rotator cuff tendons, the tendon partially or fully splits apart from the head of your humerus, which can lead to:
- Chronic shoulder pain
- Crackling sensation while moving your shoulder
- Discomfort that awakens you at night
- Arm weakness when lifting or gripping objects
Without proper treatment, rotator cuff issues are likely going to worsen. Before living another day with shoulder pain, schedule an evaluation at Texas Orthopaedic Associates, and start your treatment plan.
What is the treatment for rotator cuff injuries?
Most rotator cuff sufferers experience pain relief and improved shoulder function by starting a conservative therapy plan. Your rotator cuff treatment may include:
- Activity modification
- Physical therapy
- Daily strengthening exercises
- Corticosteroid injections
- Bracing your arm in a sling
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
If these types of treatments aren’t providing relief and restoring your shoulder function, or if you have a large tear, your dedicated surgeon at Texas Orthopaedic Associates, may recommend surgery. Rotator cuff surgery is generally performed arthroscopically. This minimally invasive shoulder procedure involves attaching your tendon and removing any damaged tissue, so you can return to full shoulder function.
Schedule your rotator cuff evaluation at Texas Orthopaedic Associates, today. Click on the online booking feature or call your closest clinic.