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Waterfall News

ROTATOR CUFF TEAR

By Dr Andrew Stewart, shoulder and elbow specialist are damaged, or injured, this bursa

practising at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital becomes inflamed and painful.

When one (or more) of the rotator cuff

A rotator cuff tear is a tendons is torn, the tendon no longer
fully attaches to the head of the humerus.
common injury caused either Most tears occur in the supraspinatus
tendon, but other parts of the rotator
by repetitive movements or an cuff may also be involved. In many cases,

the tearing of tendons begins with
injury while lifting something fraying. As the damage progresses, the

heavy or falling awkwardly. tendon can completely tear. This often
happens when lifting a heavy object.

A torn rotator cuff will cause weakness

in your shoulder. This means that many
R otator cuff injuries frequently There is a lubricating sac called a bursa daily activities, like combing your hair

occur in people who perform
between the rotator cuff and the bone

or getting dressed, may become painful

functions that require

bursa allows the rotator cuff tendons
repeated overhead movement, on top of your shoulder (acromion). The and difficult. In most rotator cuff tears,
the tendon is torn completely away
such as playing tennis or painting to glide freely when you move your from the bone. The tear may be a

ceilings. A rotator cuff tear usually arm. When the rotator cuff tendons partial thickness or full thickness tear.

develops over time but it also can
happen suddenly if the person falls
on their arm or lifts a heavy object.
WHAT IS THE SHOULDER
COMPRISED OF?
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket
joint and is made up of three bones:
the upper arm bone (humerus),
the shoulder blade (scapula), and
the collarbone (clavicle). The ball,

or head, of the humerus fits into a
shallow socket in the shoulder blade.

The rotator cuff is a group of four

muscles that come together as
tendons to form a covering around
the head of the humerus. The
rotator cuff attaches the humerus

to the shoulder blade and helps
to secure the humeral head within
the shoulder socket. It also helps
you to lift and rotate your arm. HTTPS://WWW.DUBAISPORTSORTHOPAEDICS.COM/ROTATOR-CUFF-TEARS/

20 Waterfall Issue 9 2020