Early Treatment for Rotator Cuff Injuries Helps Patients Make Better Recoveries

It doesn't matter whether you’re a junior-high athlete or a weekend warrior, anyone who plays a sport knows there is a risk for certain injuries. But there is one injury that plays favorites based on age and not by sport. “It is rare for us to see young people with rotator cuff injuries,” said Dr. Robert Klitzman, an orthopedic/sports medicine surgeon with IU Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. “The majority of patients with injuries to their rotator cuff are middle-aged and beyond.”

The best protection against rotator cuff injury is an active life and a well-balanced set of exercises for strength and flexibility, according to Klitzman. Despite the best of intentions, even these prevention efforts can lead to injury in people of a certain age.

Any significant trauma to the shoulder may increase your odds of a rotator cuff injury. Klitzman says some rotator tears are simply the result of a lifetime of use. The aging process can compound the problem by decreasing circulation in a region of your body that doesn't have a great blood supply.

You can have small tears for years that don’t need treatment, but when you experience pain or restricted mobility, you should seek diagnosis and treatment right away. That’s because the earlier you treat a rotator cuff injury, the better you’ll do over time. Early intervention can prevent muscle weakness around your injury and affect the quality and speed of your recovery, according to Klitzman.

Here’s the good news for people who hate the idea of surgery: treatment options for rotator cuff injuries don’t always end in surgery. “If there’s a chance we can give patients a full range of motion, normal strength, and relief from pain without surgery, we definitely want to pursue those options,” he said.

The job of the rotator cuff is to keep the ball (humeral head) centered in the middle of the shoulder socket (glenoid), allowing the arm to move freely. With small tears, sometimes your muscles can be retrained in physical therapy to keep the ball in place. More significant injuries can be repaired through arthroscopic surgery. The possible advantages of arthroscopic surgery are smaller incisions, less scar tissue, decreased pain, and earlier recovery.

Whatever your treatment or recovery conditions, IU Health has a built-in roster of experts with fellowship training, which includes focused study and experience in sports medicine, orthopedics and/or non-operative care. They also have a cast of supporting physical therapists and sports performance specialists to help bring you back to optimal health.

How can you feel confident about your doctor's diagnosis and treatment recommendation? Klitzman says a good orthopedic or sports medicine physician will give careful consideration to your individual history, your physical exam, and your MRI. In an ideal situation, you want to work with a group like the IU Health Physicians, where there is deep expertise and a range of treatment options for your type of injury.

Individual recovery rates after a rotator cuff surgery can vary, depending on several health factors such as age, whether you smoke, and whether you have any chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Those factors alone shouldn’t influence your decision to have surgery. Whether you are treated with or without surgery for a rotator cuff injury, you have a good chance at a great recovery and a return to your normal lifestyle.