The Pittman CONNECTION The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
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Quick Recovery from Your ROTATOR CUFF INJURY
Your rotator cuff is comprised of the muscles and tendons surrounding your shoulder joint. Sometimes, the rotator cuff can become torn or injured, due to repetitive overhead motions performed in sports (such as tennis) or jobs (such as carpentry.) Athletes are also at risk of developing a rotator cuff injury if they participate in rigorous activities, such asweight-lifting, swimming, or tennis. The active movements associated with sports and laborious work are undoubtedly important factors to keep inmind; however, passive movements can also be contributing factors to an injury. Continuous poor posture and imporper positioningof the shoulders canmake your scapula, or shoulder blade, muchmore vulnerable to pain and rotator cuff injuries. Those who experience rotator cuff injuries or “torn shoulders” generally report a dull ache deep in their shoulder, armweakness, difficulty reaching behind their back, and disturbed sleep due to pain. At Pittman Physical Therapy, our natural and non-invasive methods can help relieve your shoulder pain and heal your rotator cuff injury. How Can Physical Therapy Help a Rotator Cuff Injury? While rotator cuff injuries sometimes require surgery if they are severe enough, there are several cases where physical therapy treatments can work just as well (if not better) than surgery.
According to theAmericanPhysical TherapyAssociation, “A recent study fromFinland asserts that when it comes to treatment of non- traumatic rotator cuff tears, physical therapy aloneproduces results equal to those produced by arthroscopic surgery and open surgical repair.” In this same study, a follow-up on 167 patients receiving physical therapy alone for their rotator cuff injuries, demonstrated that conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, should be considered as the primary treatment for this condition. How Do I Know If Physical Therapy Is Needed? It is natural to experience an occasional ache or pain from overexertion. However, it is when the pain becomes chronic or unbearable that the condition becomes serious. Chronic pain, or pain persisting for threemonths or longer, is an indication that PT intervention is needed. There are some additional symptoms to consider that may also be telling signs that treatment is needed, such as: • Sharp or stinging pains. • Uncomfortable “clicking” sounds with movement. • Dull pain that runs alongside your arm. • Sudden arm weakness. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important to contact your therapist at Pittman Physical Therapy for treatment today.
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