Recovery From Rotator Cuff Injuries

Though rotator cuff injuries are common for athletes, people can injure their rotator cuffs outside of sports by falling, being in a car accident, incorrectly exercising at the gym and many other ways. While there are several risks associated with rotator cuff injuries, knowing the role of your rotator cuff, how to prevent injuries and how it's treated after an injury can help you stay confident in your daily life.

Thomas Schmittdiel, MD, primary care and sports medicine physician with the Franciscan Physician Network Coolspring Health Center in Michigan City, Indiana, explains what you should know about caring for your rotator cuffs and what to do if you have a rotator cuff injury.

What's The Role Of My Rotator Cuff?

Knowing the role of your rotator cuffs can help you understand how to care for your shoulders and when to get help.

"The rotator cuff is basically the fine motor movement muscles of your shoulder," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "You have four rotator cuff muscles. The important part about these muscles is that they allow your arm to move up, move to the side, and moves your arm in what we call internal, external rotation."

Specific movements supported by your rotator cuffs assist people with their daily life such as playing sports or working around the house, he said.

"Anytime you're reaching for something above your head, like a cabinet, doing your hair, putting your belt on or you're throwing a ball, all that requires a lot of movement in the shoulder," Dr. Schmittdiel said. “That's what your rotator cuff is for.”

What Are Common Rotator Cuff Injuries?

Whether a sports injury or constant heavy lifting at a job, sudden injuries and common wear and tear are two situations where rotator cuff injuries can happen.

"The two most common ways people injure the rotator cuff are divided in what we call acute or chronic injuries," Dr. Schmittdiel said

He explained that acute injury can mean injuries happen that occur right away, with examples such as:

• Falling
• Car accident
• Injury from throwing

On the other end, Dr. Schmittdiel explained that a chronic injury is something that builds up over time, such as wear and tear from:

• Mechanic work
• Factory work
• Woodworking

"It's important to know how you injured your arm," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "That's usually the first thing your doctor's going to ask you when you visit them about shoulder pain. Answering that question help us figure out what type of injury you have and then where we go from there."

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of A Rotator Cuff Injury?

"You'll know when your shoulder hurts," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "I use this line all the time in my clinic."

Symptoms related to a rotator cuff injury can include:

• Ache or pain in your shoulder
• Arm weakness
• Difficulty with tasks that require shoulder effort
• Arm discomfort during sleep

The most recognizable sign of a rotator cuff injury for patients is when it affects their daily function, Dr. Schmittdiel explained. If your discomfort is slowing you down in your daily life, it's essential to talk to your provider and get your shoulder checked out.

Are There Non-Surgical Rotator Cuff Treatments?

Exhausting all options before deciding on surgery is a goal for many providers. Thankfully, with rotator cuff treatments, physical therapy can play a significant role in your recovery.

"I'm a non-operative sports medicine doctor, so I don't do surgeries," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "My partners at Franciscan Health are great sports medicine doctors who are happy to see you. Still. I always tell the patients that my job is to make you not go see them. Because if I can fix you, everyone's happy."

Dr. Schmittdiel explained that the approach to surgical versus non-surgical decision-making comes down to the level of the injury. Reviewing patient history and physical exams helps determine the patient's physical limits with the injury and see how they can function in the clinic.

"If we want to get more information, we can order an MRI," he said. "What we'll look for in an MRI is the level of tearing because anyone over the age of 50 to 60 years old will have some partial tearing in the rotator cuff. It's just one of those privileges of getting older."

He explained that even if they see partial tears, as long as the patient functions well and can move their arm in most directions, doctors don't have to go immediately to surgery.

What Is The Recovery Time For A Rotator Cuff Injury?

Dr. Schmittdiel explained that no patient has a typical recovery time. Still, studies show that recovery can be anywhere from six to 12 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury.

"I always try to tell patients, if this problem has been bugging you for years, it's not going to go away overnight," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "It takes a while to have and fix a chronic injury. Still, the best thing you can do for fixing any of these long-term rotator cuff injuries that have been nagging you is to get started with care."

Physical therapy is essential to your rotator cuff repair and treatment, he added.

"Visiting your physical therapy to learn the proper exercises is essential because the stronger you get your rotator cuff muscles, the more properly your shoulder's going to move," Dr. Schmittdiel said.

Learning to move your shoulder properly gives the tendon a better opportunity to heal while alleviating pain, he said.

"To me, physical therapy is our cornerstone," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "It's the most important thing we can get you to do your partial or your more chronic rotator cuff injuries."

How Can I Prevent Rotator Cuff Injuries?

Rotator cuff treatments can get you back to the things you love. Still, preventing these injuries by paying attention to how you use your shoulders can keep you on track entirely.

"Prevention is on a spectrum with the treatment," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "The stronger you keep your shoulder and the better you move your shoulder, the less likely you're going to get an injury. The most common way I see severe rotator cuff injuries is from ignoring your own body."

Dr. Schmittdiel explained that performing tasks that cause your shoulders discomfort and ignoring the pain can contribute to the severity of your injuries.

"Ignoring pain comes down to people doing what they love, such as playing pickleball, swimming, rock climbing and more," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "If you want to keep doing what you enjoy for the next 20 or 40 years, we may have to take a few weeks off right now. And usually, when I phrase it like that, most patients come around."

He explained that it's essential to your homework. When the physical therapist asks you to do their routines outside of their sessions, it's the best thing you can do for yourself.

"The best physical therapy you can do is therapy when you're not in much pain, because pain seems to be a big barrier for a lot of people," Dr. Schmittdiel said. "One way we can deal with pain outside of physical therapy is with medication. If pain is your issue, let your doctor know because usually there are some things we can do to help."