The rotator cuff is made up of 4 separate muscles and a series of tendons that are found in the shoulder area, originating with the wing bone and forming one tendon group. Their primary purpose is to help with the lifting and rotating of the arm as well as protecting the arm socket at the shoulder. Injury to the rotator cuff is either sudden, as is the case in a shoulder break or injury, or it can come on over a period of time, such as happens when a person has a repetitive stress injury. This type of injury will show signs of pain for some time, but can be treated at first with over the counter medications. It is common in older adults, over the age of 45 that use repetitive motion at work, especially lifting heavy objects over their head. Eventually it may get bad enough that the person will seek medical attention in order to help get their shoulder and arm movement back to where it should be.
When a person gets checked for a rotator cuff injury the doctor will many times immobilize the arm in order to allow the rotator cuff to heal. Then they will institute a series of exercises for rotator cuff injury that the person may do with a physical therapist, or perhaps they may be able to do them at home. The exercises will generally consist with lifting light weights in a twisting or lifting motion while in various positions. The muscles of the rotator cuff can be targeted in this fashion in order to help to strengthen and heal the muscles, and to get the person back or close to their original strength and abilities quickly