July 2025
Jess Carter, Physiotherapist
Rotator Cuff Injuries How to Diagnose Treat & Prevent Injury
Shoulder pain – something that nobody wants to experience. Unfortunately, life requires us to use our shoulders and arms for activities every day.
Picking up your children, combing your hair, putting those heavy files away in the cabinet… and before you know it – pain. What could this possibly be? Well, read further to find out and put a stop to your pain.
What is the Rotator Cuff?
I’m sure that we’ve all heard the term “rotator cuff” thrown around at least once when someone is talking about or referring to any type of shoulder pain, but what does it actually mean?
Well, there are actually four muscles that make up the rotator cuff:
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Subscapularis muscle
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Supraspinatus muscle
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Infraspinatus muscle
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Teres minor muscle
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Why Are the Rotator Cuff Muscles So Important?
The shoulder joint is a very mobile joint and allows for us to move in very large ranges (think about how you can lift your arm to the top, to the side, and still rotate it internally and externally). So many planes of motion! As great as this sounds, extra mobility comes with a catch – less stability.
That’s where our rotator cuff muscles come into play. Their main role is to stabilise the humeral head within the glenoid cavity, and therefore, stabilise the ball-and-socket joint.
They are also responsible for abducting the shoulder, as well as externally and internally rotating it.
This is important because the shoulder has less structural stability than other joints, in order to allow for greater mobility.
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Rotator Cuff Injuries IN MELBOURNE
The rotator cuff muscles are used in almost every movement of the shoulder, making it pretty understandable that injuries are relatively common. These injuries can affect people of any age (though the risk increases with age), and are not limited to athletes.
Rotator cuff injuries can be complex, as there are four muscles that could be affected and different types of injuries. The most common include:
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Rotator cuff tear
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Rotator cuff impingement
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Rotator cuff tendinopathy, previously known as tendonitis
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Bursitis (inflammation of the bursa between the tendon and bone)
What Causes Rotator Cuff Injuries?
There are many things that can cause an injury to the rotator cuff. Some studies suggest that genetics may play a role. However, the two most common causes are:
Overuse:
Often leads to tendinitis, but can also cause tears, especially in sports like tennis. Overuse isn’t just limited to athletes – it also happens to people who work with their arms, particularly in overhead positions (e.g., teachers, mechanics, engineers, gardeners).
Trauma:
This includes sports accidents, falls, car accidents, etc., and can result in tears.
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What Are the Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injury IN MELBOURNE?
These are the most common signs and symptoms. Keep in mind, symptoms can vary significantly, which is why it’s important to see a physiotherapist if you suspect injury:
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Pain (usually deep in the shoulder joint and may refer down the arm)
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Decreased range of motion (not due to stiffness, but pain)
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Difficulty doing things like putting on a jacket or combing hair
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Pain at night
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Weakness
How to Diagnose a Rotator Cuff Injury?
If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, make an appointment with a physiotherapist. These symptoms are common to many other shoulder pathologies.
A full assessment includes:
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Medical history and daily activity review
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Physical assessment of strength, range of motion, and muscle control
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Special orthopaedic tests
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Cervical spine assessment to rule out referred pain from your neck
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Imaging such as ultrasound or MRI for confirmation at times, though not always
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Treatment of Rotator Cuff Injuries IN MELBOURNE
Conservative treatment and physiotherapy are usually very successful – many patients return to full work and sport activities. Surgery is rarely required and only for serious tears.
Initial goals of treatment:
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Pain management using:
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Activity modification
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Gentle movement exercises
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Thermal therapy (ice/heat)
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Next phase:
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Exercises to restore strength, control, and range of motion
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Hands-on therapy (mobilisations, manual techniques)
Final phase:
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Tailored rehabilitation for specific needs (sport, job, lifestyle)
Prevention of Rotator Cuff Injuries
We provide exercises during your rehab that you’ll continue even after recovery to prevent re-injury.
Key prevention strategies:
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Strengthening exercises
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Range of motion exercises
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Stability and control work
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Adequate rest and recovery
Think you have a rotator cuff injury?
Make your appointment now so you can get back to doing what you love.
How can we help you?
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling or booking online.