What is a rotator cuff injury? How is it treated?

The rotator cuff is made up of four sets of muscle tendons that stabilize the joint and assist in shoulder abduction and rotation. The rotator cuff ruptures when the shoulder joint is brought into a position of abduction (e.g., when the palm of the hand is held on the ground and suddenly brought in) and does not heal easily. Another common condition occurs in the elderly or people who have too much shoulder movement, mainly due to degenerative changes, shoulder elevation leading to constant impingement on the acromion. The main clinical manifestations are pain in the front or outside of the shoulder joint, limitation of shoulder abduction or forward flexion and backward extension, which is usually aggravated by activities and alleviated by rest, and is characterized by pain at night, and even inability to sleep due to pain. According to the degree of rupture, rotator cuff injury can be divided into two categories: partial rupture and complete rupture. If not handled properly, partial rupture can develop into complete rupture. When traumatic rotator cuff rupture occurs, there will be localized swelling, subcutaneous hemorrhage, and pain at the top of the shoulder. Once the diagnosis is clear, it should be treated actively so as not to aggravate the condition. 1.Conservative treatment: Incomplete rupture is usually treated by abduction, forward flexion and external rotation of the shoulder under local closure, and fixed with “herringbone” shape plaster or abduction splint brace for 3~4 weeks. Oral medication can be taken to reduce swelling and pain, such as: Futalin tablets, Lunanbeit, Yunnan Baiyao, and Bunda Pills. In the later stage, shoulder joint functional exercise can be carried out if the pain can be tolerated. At the beginning, passive activities should be the main focus, and avoid lifting heavy objects and other actions within 3 months. 2.Local closure therapy: If the local pain is severe, local closure can be performed in the subacromial space. 3.Surgical therapy: if the partial rupture of rotator cuff cannot be recovered after 4~6 weeks of non-surgical treatment, surgical repair should be carried out, and minimally invasive arthroscopic shoulder repair is the best.