The rotator cuff is a direct translation from the English rotato rcuff, while the real medical term is “rotator cuff”. It is a very important part of the shoulder joint, and we visualize the four tendons that wrap around the head of the humerus like a cuff, collectively called the rotator cuff. It consists of the supraspinatus tendon at the top, the supraspinatus and teres minor tendons at the bottom, and the subscapularis tendon at the front. The rotator cuff, as its name implies, has a rotational function that allows all parties of the shoulder joint to rotate, including internal and external rotation, as well as abduction and supination. It also acts as a stabilizing structure for the shoulder joint, helping to depress the humeral head and preventing the humeral head from colliding with the acromion. Rotator cuff tears are a very common sports injury to the shoulder joint, especially in sports with a lot of over-the-top movements of the upper extremity. Heavy use of the shoulder joint can lead to rotator cuff wear and may be the direct cause of the eventual injury. Rotator cuff tear is also a common degenerative disease in middle-aged and old people, and its incidence increases with age. According to statistics, the incidence rate of 50-59 year olds is 13%, 60-80 year olds’ rotator cuff tears can reach 20-30%, and rotator cuff tears in 80 year olds are as high as 50%. In addition to direct trauma and violence, rotator cuff tears may also be caused by repetitive strain injury, including prolonged upper extremity labor and repeated lifting and pulling of heavy objects. Some patients also have spontaneous ruptures, so some patients with shoulder pain may not have experienced significant traumatic violence, but may still have a rotator cuff tear. Rotator cuff tears are often misdiagnosed as “frozen shoulder”, resulting in delays in treatment and rotator cuff tears becoming large tears. A rotator cuff tear is mainly characterized by pain when the shoulder joint moves, which occurs in the early stages of the disease, and in severe cases, pain at night while sleeping. When it progresses to a certain degree, there will be a decrease in the mobility of the joint, weakness in lifting up, and even secondary adhesion of the shoulder joint. Due to the complex structure of the shoulder joint, general orthopedic surgeons are not familiar with the anatomy and mechanics of the shoulder joint, and it is very easy to misdiagnose the injury. x-ray and CT are not able to judge the injury at all, and MRI or ultrasound is usually needed to know whether there is a rotator cuff injury or not. What should I do if I have a rotator cuff tear? Usually, it’s goodbye to the game. To return to play, Kobe will most likely have to undergo surgery. For the average person, once a rotator cuff tear is clear, surgery is the best option to restore function. Currently using minimally invasive shoulder arthroscopy surgical techniques, the torn rotator cuff can be re-fixed and sutured back to the bone in a few small incision wound situations, remodeling the rotator cuff’s function and stability. After the surgery, as long as you actively cooperate with the rehabilitation, you can completely resume daily life functions and sports. This is different from Yao Ming’s fatigue fracture. Kobe’s shoulder injury is a relatively common soft tissue injury, and as long as you choose the right specialist and treatment, you are fully capable of repairing the torn tendon and returning to the game. People with shoulder discomfort need to prevent excessive shoulder strain and repeated lifting and pulling movements. If the symptoms do not subside after resting, you need to seek immediate medical attention, and a professional sports medicine specialist can help clarify the diagnosis and implement minimally invasive treatment. Finally, a shoulder joint function self-assessment table is attached to help you understand the functional status of the shoulder joint. Shoulder joint function self-assessment method: 1. Do you feel pain in the shoulder joint? (Score 0-10, 0 is no pain, 10 is extreme pain) 2. Do you feel shoulder pain at night when you sleep? (0-10 points scoring, 0 for never, 10 for very frequent impact on sleep) 3, the side of the pain can help wear pants, belt belt, etc. (can be completed to mark 3 points, can not be completed to mark 0 points) 4, toilets after the pain side of the limbs of the personal hygiene, you can touch the back of the trouser pockets, etc. (can be completed to mark 3 points, can not be completed to mark 0 points) 5, bathing, pain side of the upper limbs to do back rubbing action (can be completed to mark 3 points, can not be completed to mark 0 points) (3 points, 0 points) 6, the pain side of the hand to take a cup of water, take dishes and chopsticks to eat, brush your teeth and wash your face, etc. (can be completed 3 points, can not be completed 0 points) 7, the pain side of the limb to wear outerwear, pullover, etc. (can be completed 3 points, can not be completed 0 points) 8, side to the side of the pain side of the limb to sleep (can be completed 3 points, can not be completed 0 points) 9, the pain side of the hand in the bath with the opposite side of the armpits and the body (can be completed 3 points, can not be completed 0 points). You can finish 3 points, can not finish 0 points) 10, with the pain side of the hand washing, combing hair (can be completed to mark 3 points, can not be completed to mark 0 points) 11, the pain side of the limb to go to reach more than the top of the head (can be completed to mark 3 points, can not be completed to mark 0 points) 12, you are satisfied with the current state of the shoulder joint overall evaluation (0-7 points scoring, very satisfied with the 7 points, very dissatisfied with the 0 points) Score Calculation: 1 ) Subtract the scores of items 1 and 2 from 20; 2) Add the scores of items 3 to 11; 3) Add the scores of the first two parts 1) and 2) after multiplying the score of item 12 by 2 to get the final total score. A. 61-50 points, function is fair, continue to observe B. 49-30 points, function is affected, hospitalization is recommended C. 29 points or less, function is more serious, seek medical attention as soon as possible