Rotator Cuff Injury
What is a Rotator Cuff injury?
The rotator cuff refers to four muscles surrounding the shoulder girdle that stabilise the joint and provide a range of fluid movement. When one of these muscles or tendons become injured, range of motion and stability of the shoulder joint is compromised. Injury to this area can occur at any age and is likely due to strain during overhead motion, poor posture, muscle weakness, and heavy lifting. The injury results in inflammation around the rotator cuff, leading to pain and decreased range of motion.
Some examples of this injury include:
- Shoulder bursitis
- Rotator cuff tendon tear
- Rotator cuff impingement
- Rotator cuff strain/sprain
How can Rotator Cuff Injuries be treated?
Treatment for this group of injuries involves physiotherapy and exercise recommendations to decrease pain and increase range of motion in the joint. With manual therapy and regular exercises designed to stabilise the joint, the soft tissue surrounding the joint becomes stronger. Some examples of techniques used at Clinetic include:
- Massage therapy
- Acupuncture
- Dry needling
- Active Release Therapy (ART ) & Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation (IASTM)
- Interferential current (IFC) & TENS
- Ultrasound
- Manual therapy
- Rehabilitation exercises
- Chiropractic
