Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain

Posted on August 30, 2019 by - Physiotherapy

Are you tired of that shoulder pain that won’t let you sleep through the night? Did you do some spring cleaning on the weekend and now have an irritating ache in your shoulder?  Or perhaps you’ve had a little niggle that just won’t go away. You might have Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain (RCRSP).

RCRSP

RCRSP is a broad term that is used to describe a number of shoulder pathologies. Some of these pathologies include:

  • Rotator cuff tendinopathy/tendinitis
  • Partial / Full thickness tears of the rotator cuff muscles
  • Subacromial bursitis
  • Subacromial or rotator cuff impingement syndrome

What is the rotator cuff?

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles in the shoulder that work together to stabilise the shoulder joint. These muscles are supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor. They attach from the scapula (shoulder blade) to the head of the humerus (upper arm) bone.

RCRSP presents itself in many ways, some of which are listed below. Do any of these sound familiar?

  • Pain in the shoulder or side of the arm at rest or with movement (especially with overhead activities)
  • Pain in the shoulder that can radiate up the neck or down into your elbow
  • Muscle weakness or pain with reaching or lifting tasks
  • Increased difficulty with lying on your sore shoulder

 

What can you do to help?

Surgery isn’t your only option! Recent evidence suggests that exercise and physiotherapy can be just as effective as surgery to treat RCRSP. This is still true even if you had a scan that identified a tear in the rotator cuff muscles. Your physiotherapist is trained in the appropriate assessment and diagnosis of RCRSP and will be able to guide you through a structured rehabilitation program as you progress through different stages of healing. They may incorporate a multitude of treatment techniques including:

  • Manual therapy such as massage to relieve tight muscles
  • Taping to assist with symptom relief
  • Postural training
  • Scapular stabilisation exercises
  • Shoulder range of motion and functional strengthening exercises

 

 

References:

  • Ketola S, Lehtinen J, Rousi T, Nissinen M, Huhtala H, Konttinen YT, et al. (2013) No evidence of long-term benefits of arthroscopic acromioplasty in the treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome: five-year results of a randomised controlled trial. Bone Jt Res 2(7):132e9.
  • Kuhn, J. E., Dunn, W. R., Sanders, R., An, Q., Baumgarten, K. M., Bishop, J. Y., Brophy, R. H., Carey, J. L., Holloway, B. G., Jones, G. L., Ma, C. B., Marx, R. G., McCarty, E. C., Poddar, S. K., Smith, M. V., Spencer, E. E., Vidal, A. F., Wolf, B. R., Wright, R. W., MOON Shoulder Group (2013). Effectiveness of physical therapy in treating atraumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears: a multicenter prospective cohort study. Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery, 22(10), 1371-9.
  • Lewis, J. (2017). Rotator Cuff related shoulder pain: Advances in understanding and management. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Volume 20, 47
  • Lewis, J. (2016). Rotator cuff related shoulder pain: Assessment, management and uncertainties. Manual Therapy, 23, 57-68.