Rotator Cuff

Rotator cuff problems are unique to the shoulder and manifest in different ways. While we often think of baseball pitchers when referring to rotator cuff injury, the majority of rotator cuff problems happen after age 50.

The rotator cuff is a group of small muscles deep to the big deltoid muscle. They cover the top of the humerus (arm bone) like a cuff and rotate the arm bone. This is why they are termed the "rotator cuff."

These muscles are vulnerable to compression or friction from the overlying bony shoulder cap. This can take the form of "bursitis" if mild, "tendonitis" if moderate or "rotator cuff tear" if more advanced. Spurs (as seen above) are often associated with rotator cuff problems. Most rotator cuff problems can be treated conservatively with home exercises, activity adjustment, medication, physical therapy and injections. Surgery for the more advanced cases is almost always arthroscopic (band-aid surgery) and can often be outpatient.

The sooner we can assess your problem, the better the chance we can succeed with non-operative treatment methods. Our physicians are active in the academic aspect of shoulder surgery, both in the United States and abroad, and have published articles, given presentations and facilitated instructional courses on the topic. This means they are often teaching other orthopedists up-to-date and advanced techniques for treating all types of rotator cuff problems.