Did you injure your shoulder while playing in the field? As an athlete, you might be aware of how painful can shoulder injuries can get. The rotator cuff injury is the excruciating pain you feel when around the muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder.
A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that stabilizes your shoulder and facilitates movement. These injuries typically occur because of normal wear and tear and are common for people who have jobs that require repeatedly performing overhead motions.
Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms
Some tears develop that suddenly from a fall or a jerk can lead to excruciating pain around the area, snapping sensation, and immediate weakness in your arm. These tears can also occur gradually due to overuse can also cause pain and arm weakness. In both cases, the common symptoms that you might experience include
- Pain when lifting and lowering your arm or with specific movements
- Weakness when lifting or rotating your arm
- Hearing clicking or popping when you move your arm
- Pain when you move your arm in certain ways, or lie on
Rotator Cuff Diagnosis
If you are persistently experiencing any of the above symptoms, you should seek professional help. To diagnose a rotator cuff injury, your doctor will prescribe a few imaging tests.
X-Rays- This is the primary test that your doctor will conduct because x-rays do not show the soft tissues of your shoulder like the rotator cuff, plain x-rays of a shoulder with rotator cuff pain are usually normal or may show a small bone spur.
MRI Tests- MRI tests use radio waves and a powerful magnet to make detailed pictures of your shoulder. Your doctor will conduct this test to diagnose the rotator cuff tear, as well as where the tear is located within the tendon and the size of the tear.
Treating Rotator Cuff Injuries
Mild Exercises
It is a common conception that giving complete rest to the injured area might facilitate recovery. However, this might not be exactly true as it might do more harm than good.
While giving your arm a complete rest is crucial, it is also vital that you keep the affected area moving. Specific exercises will restore movement and strengthen your shoulder. Your exercise program will include stretches to improve flexibility and range of motion. A few exercises that you can try at home are as follows:
- Arm reach
- Doorway Stretch
- Crossover Arm Stretch
Compression
For relieving the pain, you can take a painkiller or use a shoulder ice pack . Make sure to do this for 20 minutes, 3-4 times a day. To avoid getting frostbite, do not apply the ice pack directly to the shoulder. Also, make sure that you do not wrap the ice wrap too tightly as it might restrict the blood flow.
Final Note from Cool Relief
Shoulder injuries are not uncommon in young athletes and can rarely get complicated. These can be treated using ice compress and simple exercises. To get your hands on the best shoulder ice wraps , check out our wide range of ice packs. Get in touch today!