Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

Basics Of Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

The rotator cuff is a name for the compilation of four tendons around the humeral head. Its purpose is to control and stabilize the movement of arms and shoulders during upper body activities. 

Rotator cuff tendonitis occurs when the shoulder muscles and BURSA (a lubrication mechanism) get inflamed. Bursitis, often mistaken as a separate condition, is actually one of the symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis. 

The most commonly seen reason for the condition is repeated; for instance; window cleaning, car washing, throwing, raking, and other such activities that often require you to lift your arm over your head. 

Other common causes include injuries, postural issues, and habits like sleeping on the shoulder for too long. Rotator cuff tendonitis is not a rare condition at all. Your shoulders have quite delicate muscles and bones in them. The rotator cuff is located in the middle of two bones that frequently rub against each other when you engage in a repetitive motion. 

This scenario causes the rotator cuff muscles that are caught in between to wear out. Continuous rubbing and fraying cause the muscle to inflame, thus making it painful. EastWest Physiotherapy Clinic Burnaby has come across many cases of rotator cuff tendonitis so far. Here’s everything you need to know about the condition.

• Symptoms Of Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
• Shooting pain in arm/ shoulders, usually originating in the outer arm
• Discomfort while sleeping
• Irritating pains in the upper arms
• Pain when raising arms above the head
• Increased pain while stretching/ reaching over/ reaching behind
• Clicking noise in the shoulder when you move or stretch your arm

How To Diagnose It

If you are seeking physiotherapy treatments for shoulder pain, it is vital that the physiotherapy clinic you choose runs a proper test first. Usually, your medical history and a thorough physical exam will be sufficient to diagnose the condition. An X-ray followed by an MRI scan will help Burnaby physiotherapists at our clinic to differentiate rotator cuff tendonitis from other similar conditions.

Treatment Methods Used By Burnaby Physiotherapy Experts

As physiotherapy is a way of treating conditions with minimum adverse effects, it is one of the safest methods out there. Some of the therapeutic treatments for rotator cuff tendonitis recommended by Burnaby physiotherapy professionals include;

• Personalized exercise programs
• Manual therapy
• Therapeutic massages for pain relief
• Anti-inflammatory medicine
• Acupuncture treatment
• Daily exercises for mobility improvement

What you can receive from our physiotherapy clinic in Burnaby are professional treatments. There are some common ways of reducing pain that most physiotherapists Burnaby will recommend or guide you to do.

• Applying ice
• Avoid putting more strain on shoulders and arms
• Avoid lifting/ carrying weights using the inflamed arm
• Stretching exercises as per recommendation
• Stretching exercises while in a hot shower
• Using heat to relieve pain

Is Surgery Needed?

With our experience as a holistic physiotherapy clinic Burnaby, we know for a fact that most cases of rotator cuff tendonitis can be healed in less than a month. However, if you are a patient with a long history of the condition and do face frequent episodes of it, the healing process will be longer. It is very rare that surgery is required to heal this condition. 

But if the circumstances require that, our physiotherapists Burnaby will let you know. However, it is wiser to visit physiotherapy in Burnaby right when the symptoms first occur. That way, the diagnosis and treatment will be much easier and the recovery will be definite. Registered physiotherapists like EastWest Physiotherapy Service Burnaby, can handle rotator cuff tendonitis with expertise. This is a common condition that can be healed quite easily if you get the right treatment.