Shoulder Injury Class
Alright Class Its Time To Rotate!
These terms all refer to the same shoulder problem that is the most common cause of pain around the shoulder. As the arm is raised, the rotator cuff tendons keep the ball (top of arm bone) tightly in the socket. The upper part of the scapula that makes up the roof of the shoulder is called the acromion. A bursa is located between the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons. A bursa is a fluid filled sac of tissue that cuts down on the friction between two moving parts. Bursae are located all over the body where tissues must rub against each other. In this case, the bursa protects the acromion and the rotator cuff from grinding against each other.
Usually, there is enough room (if inflammation is not present) between the acromion and the rotator cuff so that the tendons slide easily underneath the acromion as the arm is raised. But each time you raise your arm, there is a bit of rubbing or pinching on the tendons and the bursa. This rubbing or pinching action is called impingement.
The most common cause of rotator cuff injuries is weakness of the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff’s primary function is to hold the ball of the shoulder in the socket when someone is active. If the muscles become weak or are injured, the humeral head (shoulder ball) will be allowed to migrate superiorly. The problem is perhaps the best-known overuse injury and individuals who work overhead , and overhead athletes are prone to this problem. Other problems which result in rotator cuff weakness (partial or full thickness tears,muscle atrophy secondary to disuse and the orientation of the acromion being hooked downward minimizing joint space) often have a component of tendonitis.