Rotator Cuff Specialist

What is a rotator cuff?

Your rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles surrounding your shoulder joint. It secures the top of your arm bone to your shoulder’s socket. 

Rotator cuff injuries are common with older age. At the first sign of ongoing or sharp shoulder pain, see the Landsberg Orthopaedics team for an evaluation. 

What are the symptoms of rotator cuff injuries?

Signs and symptoms associated with rotator cuff injuries include:

• Shoulder discomfort
• Dull, aching pain
• Sharp pain
• Difficulty sleeping
• Problems reaching above or behind you
• Weakness
• Instability

Shoulder pain due to rotator cuff injuries might be mild or severe. It can get increasingly worse over time when left untreated. 

What are the risk factors for rotator cuff injuries?

While anyone can experience rotator cuff problems, some factors boost your risk of developing them. Examples include older age, family history of shoulder injuries, and certain occupations (house painting, carpentry, and other jobs that require repetitive overhead arm motions). 

The best way to prevent shoulder injuries is to minimize repetitive motions and strengthen and stretch muscles within and near your shoulder joint. 

How does my doctor diagnose rotator cuff injuries?

To determine if you have a rotator cuff injury, Dr. Landsberg discusses your symptoms and medical history and completes a physical exam to evaluate your shoulder joint. He might ask you to move your arm into various positions. 

You may undergo X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, or other imaging procedures to determine the type and severity of tissue damage you have.

What are the common treatments for rotator cuff injuries?

Common treatments for rotator cuff injuries include:

Home remedies

Resting your shoulder, icing it, and using compression can help a rotator cuff injury heal on its own in some cases.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy uses stretching and exercises to restore flexibility and strength in your shoulder joint. You might undergo physical therapy in place of or after rotator cuff surgery.

Injections

Shoulder joint injections can reduce inflammation and pain while speeding up the healing process. Your specialist might recommend steroid injections, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) sourced from your blood to enhance your body’s natural ability to heal.

Surgery

In the case of a severe or ongoing rotator cuff injury, Dr. Landsberg can complete surgery to repair, remove, or replace tissues in your shoulder joint to regain strength and function.

Dr. Landsberg performs all rotator cuff repairs arthroscopically as an outpatient procedure. Because of new arthroscopic techniques, the treatment is greatly improved compared to traditional surgery., and arthroscopic repair can even be used for chronic and large tears. 

Sometimes the repair is augmented with a graft, which can also be inserted and repaired arthroscopically. 

All patients receive a shoulder block preoperatively, which often provides 15-20 hours of postoperative pain relief and allows for early immobilization and range of motion.

Don’t live with rotator cuff pain when Landsberg Orthopaedics can relieve your discomfort. Call the office to schedule an appointment or book one online today.