How to Overcome a Rotator Cuff Injury
To overcome a rotator cuff injury is quite critical and important obviously. The rotator cuff is so critical to our shoulder. We use our rotator cuff to generate movement and strength in our arms. A lot of people who play sports, are familiar with rotator cuff injuries. Specifically pitchers and quarterbacks, since they are required to use their rotator cuff in their shoulders quite often. To understand the rotator cuff symptoms, you'll feel pain in your upper shoulder. You'll have extreme difficulty lifting anything, because more than likely there is a tear in your rotator cuff.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Use a big pack of ice on your shoulder. If you are really feeling the pain, I'd take some ice packs, and then get some bandages. Wrap them around the ice pack, and place it on your shoulder. A lot of pitchers tend to do this after they've pitched a game. They'll do it with their elbow as well. It will help numb the pain temporarily, along with inflammation.
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Avoid sleeping on the shoulder with the rotator cuff tear. When you're going to sleep, don't put any pressure on that shoulder. Sleep on your stomach, with your head turned into the direction of the shoulder where you have the tear. Better yet, put a pillow right underneath that shoulder as well. Not only will it not allow you to not put any pressure on it, you'll have some extra comfort. How you sleep is important. You can easily tear it even more, by accidently tossing over and putting a lot of weight on it.
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Do some rotator cuff exercises. I can't tell you exactly what exercises you should do, outside the common stretching of that shoulder that has the tear. You probably should ask your doctor of specific exercises, but sometimes physical therapy is all that's needed to help heal a torn rotator cuff injury. Try massaging where the tear is as well. You want to eliminate the inflammation in that shoulder. Physical therapy is the best bet and probably recommended.
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Getting cortisone injections. Cortisone injections can help reduce inflammation in the rotator cuff as well. Physically therapy is probably still needed. Surgery is usually not what is needed to treat a rotator cuff injury. You should discuss with your doctor and let them evaluate you to know for certain the best treatment needed to recover from a rotator cuff injury.
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