Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
The muscles that rotate the shoulder form a cuff of tendons over the head of the humerus
How Does it Feel?
Pain over the front of the shoulder
Worse with reaching behind or overhead
Starting on top, this cuff of tendons thins and can develop a hole or defect with age
What causes it?
It's a part of normal aging
Tendons are the ropes that muscles use to pull a bone
The tendons of the muscles that rotate the shoulder form a cuff around the head of the humerus (the ball of the shoulder joint)--the "rotator cuff"
This cuff of tendons thins and develops a defect or hole over time.
A useful analogy is the greying and thinning of the hair on a man's head
How is it treated?
There are some simple exercises one can do
Nonspecific treatments such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
Surgery is considered for large defects