12 October Shoulder

Rotator Cuff Injury: 6 Reasons You Should Use Physiotherapy

Posted by MVMT Team

A rotator cuff injury is right up there on the high end of the pain scale when it comes to unpleasant injuries. People of all ages who are very active or don’t participate in sports often injure their rotator cuffs, and this type of injury can be quite difficult to recover from.

Luckily, there are several physiotherapy treatment options available. But, let’s first look at some common types of shoulder pains.

A Wide Range of Common Conditions and Causes Leading to Shoulder Pain Includes:

  • Joint sprains
  • Arthritic conditions
  • Muscle injury
  • Shoulder injuries
  • Sports injuries 
  • Regular weight lifting activities
  • Frozen shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis
  • Motor vehicle accident injuries
  • Occupational injuries
  • Overhead motions
  • Poor posture
  • Limited mobility
  • Biomechanical issues
  • Muscles sprains
  • Connective tissue problems
  • Scar tissue problems

No matter what the reason may be here are six excellent treatment options you should consider for your rotator cuff injuries:

1. A Restorative Exercise Program

Depending on the precise nature of your rotator cuff injury, you might be required to follow a specific corrective workout program. Your local physiotherapist can help you to determine your particular rotator cuff issue and develop a unique exercise program to address it. It’s worth noting that a restorative workout program is different from an exercise program designed to assist you to get back to daily activities as soon as possible. However, this type of program is not specifically designed to treat rotator cuff injuries. Instead, it can help you manage your pain and enhance your range of motion. You will likely receive a personalized exercise program from your physiotherapist if you want to treat your rotator cuff injury properly.

2. Your Rotator Cuff Injury May Require Taping

Depending upon the level of your rotator cuff injury, you may benefit from some light stretching or taping. For instance, if you have a moderate rotator cuff strain or sprain, your physiotherapist might recommend that you try some light extending or mild taping simply to help relieve a portion of your pain and tightness. 

If you have an extreme rotator cuff tear or your rotator cuff injury is degenerative, on the other hand, your physiotherapist may advise some more extreme stretching or taping. To be clear, this doesn’t always imply that you’ll have to remain in therapy for hours. Instead, your physiotherapist might suggest that you do some gentle stretching or light taping at home right before and after your therapy sessions. 

3. Manual Therapy Treatment for Pain Management

One of the things that set physiotherapy apart from other kinds of medical therapy is that it includes a manual therapy component. What this signifies is that a physical therapist will likely provide some type of manual therapy for discomfort management, such as myofascial release (MFR), active release technique,  and joint manipulation. MFR is a massage-like method that can assist to loosen tight muscles, decrease swelling and enhance flexibility. Joint manipulation involves physiotherapists using their hands to administer pressure to your joints. 

Manual therapy can be greatly effective for people with rotator cuff injuries. This is because your rotator cuff tissues are connected to your shoulder joint, which indicates that they can get extremely swollen and painful if they’re not functioning the proper way. Manual treatment can help to eliminate your pain, enhance your range of movement and help your muscles work more effectively.

4. Benefits of Dry Needling and/or Ultrasound Treatment

If your physiotherapist believes that dry needling or ultrasound therapy will be helpful for your rotator cuff injury, they’ll likely offer these treatments during your sessions. Dry needling, also known as intramuscular stimulation (IMS therapy) is a kind of acupuncture. Your physiotherapist will use tiny acupuncture needles on your muscles. 

Nevertheless, dry needling is actually made use of to deal with the pain instead of treating underlying health problems such as traditional acupuncture. Your physiotherapist might suggest dry needling if they believe your rotator cuff injury is caused by or intensified by muscle knots. If they feel that ultrasound treatment will be valuable, they’ll likely employ it on your muscles. Both dry needling and ultrasound treatment can be effective for dealing with rotator cuff pain. Dry needling can help to break up muscle knots, and ultrasound can assist to enhance blood flow to the injury area.

5. Addressing Your Core Dysfunction

Your core is the area at the center of your body where your back, stomach, and hips come together. It’s composed of your muscles, ligaments, and your spine. For example, your core muscles may become too weak, causing them to be not able to hold your shoulder blades together. As a result, your shoulders will be pulled forward, which can put a lot of strain on your rotator cuff muscles. Your physiotherapist may advise that you address your core dysfunction if they notice that your rotator cuff injury is being caused by a weak core. Your physiotherapist may suggest some particular exercises or activities that you can do at home or during the session to help correct your core dysfunction.

6. Your Core May Be Too Strong

As we just discussed, your rotator cuff may become hurt if your core muscles are too weak. Conversely, your rotator cuff may suffer if your core becomes too strong. Your core muscles are in charge of keeping your spinal column stable and straight. If they end up being too strong and overwhelm your rotator cuff muscles, your shoulder blades may be drawn back and together. This can put a great deal of stress on your rotator cuff muscles, which can result in an injury. If your physiotherapist notes that your rotator cuff injury is being brought on by a strong core, they might recommend that you do some workouts that target your core. These workouts can assist to extend your core muscles so that they do not overpower your rotator cuff muscles.

Conclusion

Rotator cuff injuries are usually a slow-healing process and require a long period of treatment for complete healing. Luckily, MVMT Physio & Chiro has a variety of treatments available that are proven to alleviate rotator cuff pain and promote recovery of the rotator cuff muscles. 

However, it’s important to get started with your treatment not long after your injury. Extended use of an injured rotator cuff might worsen your discomfort and cause enduring damage to the muscles and ligaments surrounding your shoulder. Contact our St Albert Clinic today and talk to one of our skilled physiotherapists to find out more about your rotator cuff. Now scheduling new appointments!

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