The group of muscles and tendons surrounding your shoulder joint that keeps the head of your upper arm bone firmly within the shallow shoulder socket is called a rotator cuff. A rotator cuff injury in Oklahoma City can form if a tear occurs when people perform overhead motions repeatedly while on their job or when engaging in sports.
A rotator cuff injury causes pain, which only gets worse when you try to sleep on the affected side. Common among people with overhead activities involving jobs like carpenters, tennis players, baseball players, and painters, the possibility of this injury also increases with age. The tendons and muscles may also become weaker with time, and you could suffer an injury only by simply sleeping on the same shoulder every night or keeping the shoulder in the same position for a long time.
If you feel that the pain you are experiencing could be a rotator cuff injury, visit Olsen Orthopedics for a diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Todd Olsen is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder and knee cuff repairs.
The Symptoms
Common symptoms of a rotator cuff injury in Oklahoma City include:
- Feeling pain when you are at rest or at night when you try lying on the affected side
- Experiencing pain when lowering or raising your arm, and when you make specific movements with it
- Stiffness
- Loss of mobility and strength in the affected arm
- Swelling and pain on the side of your arm and the front side of the shoulder
- Difficulty when performing certain movements
- Arm weakness that makes it tasking to lift and rotate your hand
- Crackling or Crepitus sensation when you move your shoulder in certain positions
An acute tear that results from a rotator cuff injury or a degenerative tear that comes from wearing down of the tendons over time can cause intense pain. Tears that develop from overuse can also cause weakness and pain.
What to Do if You Have a Rotator Cuff Injury
If your arms develop immediate weakness after an injury, it is likely that you have sustained a rotator cuff injury and you need specialized attention and care. Visit Olsen Orthopedics in Oklahoma City to see Dr. Olsen. Contact us today to book an appointment.
