The term “Rotator cuff” describes a group of four small muscles that hold your shoulder in its shallow socket while larger muscles move it. Strains and injuries to the rotator cuff are the most common cause of shoulder problems, accounting for 4.5 million doctor visits per year. Injuries are classified by the amount of damage as “partial tears”, “full-thickness tears” or “ruptures”.

A “partial tear” means that one side of your tendon has been partially frayed. A “full-thickness tear”, sometimes called a “complete tear”, describes a hole or slit in your tendon, much like what would be created by running a knife lengthwise down a rope. A “rupture” is the most serious injury and means that your tendon has been torn into two pieces.

Less than 10% of rotator cuff tears are the result of an acute injury like falling, pushing, pulling, throwing or lifting. The vast majority of injuries are the result of repetitive strains over a long period of time. One of the most common reasons that patients develop a rotator cuff tear is something called ”impingement”.rotator cuff anatomy

Impingement means that the area where your rotator cuff tendons live have become too crowded and the rotator cuff tendons are being pinched each time you raise your arm. Those who perform repeated overhead activities are at greatest risk for impingement and rotator cuff tendon problems. This includes athletes who play:

• baseball,
• volleyball,
• tennis,
• rowing,
• weight lifting,
• swimming and
• archery, and
• jobs that include carpentry, painting, wallpaper hanging, cleaning windows and washing/waxing cars.
• Other known risk factors for rotator cuff problems include smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, and prior cortisone injection.