Best Health • Fall 2022 3 From brushing your teeth to reaching for something on a shelf, you depend on your rotator cuff—a group of muscles and tendons that form a cuff at the upper arm and shoulder— to help you perform all sorts of daily tasks. “The rotator cuff is the prime mover of our shoulder,” says Alexander Mih, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Neosho Memorial. “We use it to elevate the arm overhead and to rotate the arm away from our body.” But with wear and tear, over time this cuff can become inflamed and painful, causing difficulties with daily activities. The tendon may fray and even tear or detach from the bone. Being older than 40 and having a job that involves overhead activities (like painting) can raise your risk for rotator cuff tears. Less often, they result from falls or other acute injuries. The most common symptom of a rotator cuff tear is pain that is worse when you use or lift the affected arm. You might also have arm or shoulder pain when you sleep. And you may notice some arm weakness and loss of motion. Finding relief Many people are surprised to learn that their torn rotator cuff can be treated with nonsurgical rehabilitation therapy, Dr. Mih says. That’s because only part of the tendon is torn in most cases. Strengthening the intact tendon can compensate for the torn part, resulting in less pain. An occupational or physical therapist may teach you range-of-motion and shoulder-strengthening activities that you can perform at home. However, you might need surgery if your rotator cuff is torn completely or your pain persists despite nonsurgical therapies. The good news about surgery: “Large studies show that around 94% of patients achieve meaningful pain relief with their operation,” Dr. Mih says. Rotator cuff surgery is done on an outpatient basis. In addition to repairing the torn tendon, Dr. Mih removes any bone spurs that have rubbed against the tendon and caused it to tear in the first place. You’ll wear a sling for a few weeks after your surgery. And you’ll need to avoid using your shoulder for a month while your repaired tendon heals. Rehabilitation therapy will also be a part of your recovery. Most people are able to resume up to 90% of their daily activities at around three months after rotator cuff surgery. Alexander Mih, MD Seek relief. To make an appointment with Dr. Mih, call 620-432-5775. To learn more about how the orthopedic team can help, visit nmrmc.com/services/orthopedicclinic. Is a painful shoulder slowing you down? You may have a rotator cuff tear
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzIxMDA=