According to statistics from the AAOS (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) in excess of five million doctors visits in a 7 period from 1998 to 2005 were the result of some form of injury or problem with the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is the grouping of tendons and muscles in the shoulder. It is an integral component in the ability to move the shoulder. Common causes of injuries and tears are trauma or prolonged over use, which require specialist medical attention from an orthopedic center.

These statistics highlight how common a rotator cuff tear or injury is but many people remain confused as to how and where they are caused, the potential treatment options and how to avoid further damage. The most common form of tears are in the tendons. There are four tendons within the rotator cuff and tears can occur to people of all age groups whether male or female. Older people may be more prone to damage caused by natural wear and tear, but younger people playing demanding sports or working using repetitive lifting and reaching activities are also particularly vulnerable.

The symptoms to indicate tears in the rotator cuff include difficulty in moving your arm, muscle weakness, cracking or grinding noise during movement or the arm and pain. The pain scale from this type of injury can vary from little to no pain through to considerable acute pain. Generally, the level of pain is unrelated to the specific size of tears. In order to diagnose tears, there are certain tests which can be performed. This includes examining external rotation and other movements. The severity of the tears can depend on whether it is full or partial. A full thickness of the tear can be very severe and involve the whole tendon.

Tears are generally categorized from very small through to massive. However, massive tears are more common than you would think. Up to forty percent of rotator cuff tears diagnosed by orthopedic center medical practitioners are classified massive, or at least five centimeters in length. Eighty percent of recurrent tears are massive and unfortunately there is a high failure rate for surgical repair of this type of tear. This high surgical repair failure rate is generally attributed to the rotator cuff being in poor condition before surgery. However, often in cases of a failed surgery, the pain is actually reduced and function is improved.

There are a number of risk factors associated with recurrent tears after surgical intervention or orthopedic center treatment. These risk factors include smoking, large size of tear pre-operatively and fatty infiltration noted on the MRI scan into the Infraspinatus tendon and muscle.

If you suspect that you may have a rotator cuff injury or tear or would like to learn more about shoulder injuries and if you are based in Los Angeles, you may visit the following website:Los Angeles Orthopedic Center