# I think I've damaged my rotary cuff in my shoulder **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145 "2003-12-10T14:35:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/1 "2003-12-10T14:35:11Z")
Anyone got experience of this injury? I’ve heard it can take ages to heel, should I rest it completely? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/2 "2003-12-10T14:48:36Z")
Depends, Depends, Depends… Depends on the dmage you’ve done. You may need surgery. I’ve dislocated one shoulder, torn the rotator cuff and seperated the other. IANAD, but I _havce_ talked to several about my shoulders. ---
**Author:** ![bosie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@bosie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bosie)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/3 "2003-12-10T15:39:44Z")
Hurt my cuff on a machine to the point where I couldn’t lift anything. Took it easy (laid off the weights) but was recommended some excellent exercises. It took about 8 months to completely heal. Recently overdid it in the swimming pool, started to feel that old injury but has improved by taking it easy and not using that particular muscle set. If I don’t exercise, I go stark raving mad, so I just try to do exercises that don’t involve the rotator. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/4 "2003-12-10T15:42:01Z")
I had a torn rotator cuff when I as sixteen and living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It happened during a skiing accident and I had to go to physical therapy for about a year. Yeah, it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/5 "2003-12-10T15:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Griffin \* > \*\*Anyone got experience of this injury? I’ve heard it can take ages to heel, should I rest it completely? \*\* Go see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/6 "2003-12-10T18:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bosie \* > \*\*Hurt my cuff on a machine to the point where I couldn’t lift anything. Took it easy (laid off the weights) but was recommended some excellent exercises. It took about 8 months to completely heal. Recently overdid it in the swimming pool, started to feel that old injury but has improved by taking it easy and not using that particular muscle set. If I don’t exercise, I go stark raving mad, so I just try to do exercises that don’t involve the rotator. \*\* Can you recommend some excersises mate? I normally do a lot of push-ups but I think they agrivate it, I did some 2 days ago and it made it worse. ☹ I will go to docs I think though as well, dont worry! ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/7 "2003-12-10T18:49:54Z")
I remember very distinctly the exercises that I had to do, and they require the assistance of a physical therapist. It was not only my long hours, but it was their long hours as well. Go see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/8 "2003-12-10T19:22:23Z")
w/o an assessment by a med pro, your dicing with the future use of your arm. ---
**Author:** ![Survey1215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Survey1215](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survey1215)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/9 "2003-12-10T21:15:24Z")
I was sure I’d torn a rotator cuff so I went to an orthopedic specialist just a few weeks ago. After examining me, having me run through some different exercises and then an MRI and an X-ray, I was diagnosed with a partially torn bicep tendon. Fun! Its not worth operating on, so I’m doing some phsyical therapy (ok, I’ve actually skipped most of that due to time constraints) and have been taking Vioxx each day. This has worked pretty well as it feels a lot better. The doc told me that hardly anyone who thinks they’ve hurt their rotator cuff has actually done so - its usually the bicep tendon or some muscle irritation in the shoulder. I recommend seeing a doctor soon. If nothing else, they’ll give you some anti-inflammatories which should help you out. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/10 "2003-12-10T21:55:54Z")
I suffered shoulder pain for months. I was told it was a frozen shoulder, but after x-rays, scans etc (and more months of pain) it was diagnosed as shoulder impingment. Two months ago I had a shoulder athroscopy and subacromial decompression. I still have lots of pain, and I anticipate it being long lasting. The damage was made worse by the delay in operating. I re-iterate the advice given by others, see your doctor asap. Whatever your problem is, it is better to have it diagnosed as soon as you can, to prevent possible further damage. V ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/11 "2003-12-10T22:19:05Z")
OK thanks guys, I will get it checked out. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ive-damaged-my-rotary-cuff-in-my-shoulder/218145/12 "2003-12-10T23:31:39Z")
See a doctor. Rotator cuff tendonitis can be diagnosed by puttign your arm at your side, then rotating it (like making a “snow angel”) so that your elbow stays stiff and your hand is always in the same plane as your torso. If zero degrees is the initial position, rotator cuff tendonitis usually is painful at 60-120 degrees. Another test is to put your arm in the air with the fingers pointing up (like taking a high shot in tennis), bend the elbow 90 degrees, then rotate the forearm until your hand points in front of you. Either test may cause pain over the torn rotator cuff; either in front of the shoulder (subscapular), above the scapula (supraspinatus), below the scapula (infraspinatus) or at the bottom of the armpit (teres minor). These tests should be more painful then just bending the elbow or twisting the wrist, which would suggest biceps tendoinitis.