Meet Your Muscles: The Rotator Cuff

Where is it?

The rotator cuff isn’t just one muscle — it’s a group of four small muscles that work together to stabilize the shoulder joint. Their names are the: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. They surround the shoulder joint and connect the upper arm bone to the shoulder blade.

What does it do?

The rotator cuff is responsible for your ability to lift and lower your arm as well as rotate your arm. Since your arm is not actually attached to the rest of the body by way of a fixed bone joint, the rotator cuff also supports and stabilizes the entire shoulder and upper arm. The muscles work in conjunction with tendons to attach and support the arms and shoulder joint.

What makes it hurt?

Lots of things can make your shoulders hurt but general shoulder pain might not necessarily be the rotator cuff itself. Even so, since there are 4 muscles involved and they do a lot of hard work, several things can cause rotator cuff pain including:

• overuse

• injury or tear of the muscles

• muscle strain or tendon sprain

• tendonitis (sometimes called "shoulder impingement syndrome")

How can massage help?

Massage can not repair a tear but it can help loosen any muscles that are tight or help soften scar tissue from a previously healed tear. It can also help balance the other 3 muscles if one of the 4 muscles is injured, to keep them from suffering from overuse or additional injury. It can also help with calming inflammation by increasing circulation and encouraging lymph and lactic acid to move out which can ease pain in heavily used muscle groups. It may also help improve the tone of the 4 muscle groups which can result in better range of motion and more shoulder stability.

What can I do besides massage to help it?

• Passive motion exercises: Low intensity exercises and gentle stretching can help strengthen the muscles to keep them functioning without pain

• Be aware of posture: Be careful of sitting with rounded shoulders, or if lifting anything, be sure your form of shoulders under the ears, neck tall, and back straight is accurate and proper.

• Rest it: If the rotator cuff is aggravated, take it easy and lighten the amount that the shoulders are used or weight being lifted, but don't stop moving completely - just ease it up to keep the muscles active and healthy and not seizing up.

• Ice and Heat: If the shoulder feels inflamed or is recently injured, use ice or cold therapy to control the inflammation or swelling. If the pain is more chronic or long-term, use a heating pad other heat therapy. For long-term relief or actively used muscles, a combination of both is a good idea for regular care.