What the rotator cuff is
It's a group of four muscles and their tendons that surround the shoulder joint and keep it centred as you move your arm. With age, these tendons cope less well with sudden increases in load, especially overhead movements.
Typical symptoms
- Pain on the outside of the shoulder or upper arm, sometimes down to the elbow.
- It hurts to lift your arm out to the side, especially between shoulder and head height.
- It's uncomfortable to lie on that side at night.
- Putting on a jacket or fastening something behind your back is difficult.
What to do
- Don't immobilise the shoulder: complete rest makes it stiffer.
- For a few weeks, reduce overhead movements and the loads that trigger the pain.
- Keep up the rest of your training: legs, core, cardio.
- Use cold or heat if it helps, and sleep with a pillow under your arm.
Progressive exercises
Keep discomfort to 3 or 4 out of 10 at most, and no worse the next day.
- Pendulum: lean on a table and let your arm hang, making small circles. 30 seconds.
- Isometric external rotation: elbow tucked in and bent to 90°, push the back of your hand against a door frame for 10 seconds. 5 reps.
- External rotation with a resistance band: same position, slowly rotate your forearm outwards. 2 sets of 12.
- Wall slide: slide your hand up the wall as far as is comfortable. 10 reps.
- Band row: 2 sets of 12.
Most rotator cuff pain improves over about three months of consistent exercise. After that you can gradually return to shoulder presses, starting with less weight and a shorter range.
See a doctor promptly if you can't lift your arm after a fall or a sudden pull, if there's a deformity, or if left shoulder pain comes with chest pain, breathlessness or a cold sweat: in that case call emergency services (112 in Europe).
Sources
This article is for information only and does not replace an assessment by a doctor, physiotherapist or other health professional.