An injured rotator cuff may make normal activities more difficult than they seem. The affected side may be uncomfortable when reaching overhead, getting dressed, sleeping, lifting grocery bags, or going back to the gym. If shoulder pain has begun to affect your daily activities, you must get the right strained rotator cuff treatment so you can move around without pain.
However, recovery is more about what you do. The decisions that you don’t make may be important. Determination to endure a lot of pain, excessive resting, or too early resumption of sport may complicate the healing period.
Zenvy Wellness aims to guide patients towards tailored, non-surgical pain relief solutions, mobility, and an active lifestyle. These are 5 common mistakes to avoid if you have a strained rotator cuff.
What Is a Strained Rotator Cuff?
A rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons that work together to keep the shoulder stable and allow for arm lifting and rotation.
Strain is an injury to the muscle or tendon due to overstretching or irritation. It can occur during an abrupt movement, with repetitive overhead activity, sports, weight lifting, physically demanding work, or after an increase in activity level.
Common symptoms may include:
- Pain in the shoulder when moving.
- Difficulty bending forward and reaching over the head
- Weakness when lifting the arm
- Issue with lying on the affected side
- Limited mobility.
- Tenderness in the area around the shoulder
These symptoms may overlap with other conditions of the shoulder. If the pain persists or is severe, or symptoms occur after a big injury, it should be assessed by a qualified health care provider.
Mistake 2: Resting the Shoulder for Too Long
A mistake that is made all too often is to assume that any pain should be ignored. When you’re an active adult, you don’t want to give up your time at the golf course, tennis court, gym, or activity of your choice. Repeatedly repeating movements that are likely to worsen the shoulder’s symptoms, however, will make it more difficult to control the symptoms.
This does not imply that all motion must cease. Rather, the key is to discover what activities cause symptoms and make a temporary change to those activities. Modifying the activity can mean less overhead movement, lighter loads, different types of exercises, or a time-out period with a particular activity that causes pain when repeated.
Pain can be a source of helpful information. If an activity is causing a repeated problem, it may be easier to make changes to the activity than to continue to push through it.
Mistake 3: Returning to Full Activity Too Quickly
The other error is not moving at all for too long. Rest might be recommended for some types of injuries, and it can help prevent stiffness and weakness in some shoulder problems, but a prolonged rest period may not be beneficial. The right balance is dependent on the nature and severity of the problem.
Your individualized recovery plan may consist of your appropriate movement and gradually progressive exercises based on your current abilities. The aim is to push the shoulder through non-painful movements. It’s about helping to support function and slowly progressing towards comfortable movement, when appropriate.
Shoulder pain could be caused by a number of factors, so a general exercise plan wouldn’t work for everyone. A professional assessment can be helpful to identify movements that are suitable and those that need to be adjusted temporarily.
Mistake 4: Following a One-Size-Fits-All Treatment Plan
Not all painful shoulders are caused by the same problem. Sometimes similar symptoms can be caused by a strain, tendon irritation, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, and a rotator cuff tear.
That is why it is not always a good idea to copy someone else’s exercise program or to follow only generic exercise plans found on the Internet. When choosing an appropriate strained rotator cuff treatment plan, it is important to take into account:
- How the injury happened
- For how long have the symptoms been occurring?
- The amount of pain and weakness you experience.
- The distance your arm can travel in different directions.
- The work and everyday activities that you do.
- Your sports and hobbies
- Your overall health
- The activities you wish to return to.
One goal for one person could be getting back on the golf course. For others, it might be sleeping better, getting back to work, or lifting a grandchild with more confidence. Shoulder injury treatment needs to be aimed at the individual, rather than at a stereotypical problem shoulder.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Persistent or Worsening Symptoms
Don’t delay an evaluation by waiting for the pain in the shoulder to go away.
If you think you may need professional help, then:
- The pain comes back or is increasing in severity
- You are typically experiencing pain regularly that has an impact on your sleep.
- There is a great weakness that you are aware of.
- Your movements are starting to become restricted.
- You can’t raise your arm normally
- Pain affects one’s ability to work or perform activities of daily living.
- Symptoms started following a large fall or injury.
If symptoms are severe following trauma, obvious deformity, or sudden, significant loss of function, seek medical attention immediately. An evaluation can help identify if your symptoms are indicative of a strain or if it could be another shoulder condition that is causing the problem.
What Does a Personalized Recovery Plan Look Like?
Recovery plans are not a one-size-fits-all solution. The non-surgical treatment options vary based on the individual’s condition and may involve activity modification, guided rehabilitation, gradual strengthening, and more.
SoftWave Therapy can be used as a component of a custom, non-surgical, overall treatment plan for Zenvy Wellness in its appropriate application. It is a technology with acoustic waves sent to specific parts of the body.
No one therapy should be advertised as a cure for all rotator cuff ailments. A minor tear is not the same as a major tear, and the treatment will vary based on individual circumstances.
The aim is to get to the bottom of what might be causing the pain and discuss possible solutions according to the pain, mobility, lifestyle, and recovery objectives.
How Long Can Rotator Cuff Strain Recovery Take?
There is no universal rotator cuff strain recovery timeline. Recovery can be determined by the severity of the strain, duration of symptoms, age and overall health of the person, level of activity, and compliance with proper recovery plans. Don’t compare your timeline with someone else’s, but concentrate on progress and how you are functioning.
Improvements can be noticed, such as being able to move around more easily, increased range of movement, better sleep, developing a tolerance for regular activities, and a gradual increase in strength. It’s not always a straight path to recovery. The course of the day may be better or worse, and people show individual progress.
Supporting Shoulder Health During Recovery
Each day’s decisions can have an impact on healing. Notice any repetitive movements in the workplace, while exercising, and in everyday life. If the activity continues to worsen your shoulder, see if the movement, work, or frequency of activity should be modified.
Where possible, it’s preferable to gradually build up strength after a rest, instead of going straight back into heavy activities. A consistent approach, based on an individual plan, is usually more beneficial than over-engaging on a good day and then bingeing the following day.
To get more information about shoulder pain, shoulder recovery, and non-surgical treatment of the rotator cuff, read our full article on rotator cuff treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How long does a strained rotator cuff take to recover?
Recovery time varies depending on the strain’s severity, overall health, activity level, and consistency with an appropriate recovery plan.
Q2. Should I completely rest a strained rotator cuff?
Not always. Appropriate movement and activity modification may support recovery, depending on the severity of the injury and professional guidance.
Q3. Can I exercise with a strained rotator cuff?
Exercise may be appropriate, but movements should match your condition and abilities to avoid repeatedly aggravating the injured shoulder.
Q4. What can slow down rotator cuff strain recovery?
Pushing through significant pain, prolonged inactivity, returning too quickly, and following unsuitable exercises may make recovery more difficult.
Q5. When should I seek professional help for a rotator cuff strain?
Seek professional care if pain worsens, limits movement, causes significant weakness, affects sleep, or develops after a serious injury.
Take the Next Step Toward Comfortable Movement
A strained rotator cuff can impact more than just your shoulder. It could disrupt sleep, physical activity, work, hobbies, and your daily activities.
By avoiding common pitfalls, you can approach recovery with a more thoughtful approach. Don’t think you have to endure a lot of pain, be very inactive, or be given the exact same treatment plan as another person.
Zenvy Wellness is all about custom solutions that don’t involve surgery and are centered on pain management, mobility, and active living. When appropriate, SoftWave Therapy can be used in conjunction with other therapies as part of a comprehensive treatment program.
Ready to explore your options? Speak with the Zenvy Wellness team to discuss your shoulder symptoms, recovery goals, and whether a personalized non-surgical approach may be suitable for you.
Rotator cuff treatment → Everything You Need to Know About Rotator Cuff & Shoulder Pain Recovery