Rotator cuff injuries, including tears, impingement or tendonitis, are very common, especially among active individuals.  Whether you have a tear or simply tendonitis, the focus should be on keeping all of your range of movement and boosting your rotator cuff strength.  While some people choose to self-treat with stretching and strengthening, this can be hit or miss and really cannot take the place of a hands-on examination and physical therapy.  Either way, understanding how your shoulder works will help you take care of it in the future...be sure to read our great article on shoulder mechanics and the rotator cuff for a nice background on the basics of understanding your shoulder.

Pain in your shoulder is making you search for an answer.  Most likely you either fell and landed on your outstretched arm to break your fall or someone told you that you separated your shoulder (sometimes called a sprain.)  Either way, let’s see why you have shoulder pain and what it means to have a separated shoulder.

Does a day of yard work, a tennis game or a quick house project leave your shoulder aching for days?  Shoulder pain can range from a constant, dull ache to a sudden sharp pain with movement.  Whatever symptoms you are experiencing and no-matter how short-lived they are, they are a warning sign and you should pay attention to them.

The ‘shoulder’ is actually made up of four joints.  The shoulder joint itself is made up from the ‘ball’ of the upper arm (humerus) fitting into the shallow ‘socket’ of the shoulder blade (scapula).  The shallow socket is more properly known as the glenoid fossa and this joint is called the gleno-humeral joint.

Does a day of yard work, a tennis game or a quick house project leave your shoulder aching for days?  Shoulder pain can range from a constant, dull ache to a sudden sharp pain with movement.  Whatever symptoms you are experiencing and no-matter how short-lived they are, they are a warning sign that you should pay attention to.