Rotator cuff injuries are common injuries that occur to the muscles and tendons that connect your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade. The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles that hold your upper arm bone in place in your shoulder socket and help move and stabilize the shoulder joint. A rotator cuff injury includes any type of damage or irritation to the muscles or tendons in this area due to injury, overuse, or aging. Common causes of rotator cuff injuries include repetitive arm activities, specifically “overhead activities” such as lifting, placing items on high shelves or throwing a baseball.
Rotator cuff injuries may result in significant pain and inflammation, which can limit or disable the shoulder’s range of motion. Injury may range in severity from a mild strain with no permanent damage to a partial or complete tear of the muscle. Tears of the muscle require surgery for repair. Patients undergoing this type of surgery have a high rate of recovery with improved function and relief of pain.
There are several different techniques commonly used to repair rotator cuff tears, including arthroscopic repair and open repair. An open repair involves a traditional open surgical incision of several centimeters, while an arthroscopic repair involves only small incisions. Your orthopedic surgeon will take into account the size of your tear, your anatomy, and other factors when deciding on the type of procedure to perform. Patients have rated all repair methods the same for pain relief, improvement of strength, and overall satisfaction.
Dr. Lerner and the Metro Orthopedic team specialize in providing comprehensive, state of the art care to patients with rotator cuff injury. Each patient receives a highly personalized treatment plan that incorporates the latest surgical advancements in rotator cuff repair.