Important Methods of Rotator Cuff RehabilitationHealth & Wellness ProgramsUpdated on May 11, 2016 View more like this | Visit AURORA, IL | Contact Chicagoland Medical |
Whether you are trying to recover from a rotator cuff injury, recuperate from surgery, or prevent yourself from requiring surgery to begin with, the program will be fairly similar. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen and/or recuperate the connective tendons in the shoulder termed the “rotator cuff.” The reason rotator cuff injuries are the most common form of shoulder injury is because they compose four tendons that support the shoulder joint. Since the shoulder is the joint of the body that has the most mobility (virtually 360 degrees of movement), this also leaves it being highly susceptible to injury.
Ok, so the damage is done and you now have to go through rehabilitation, or maybe you have had minor issues in the past and want to keep them from coming back. While working with a professional will be far more comprehensive, here are a few things that you can do on your own to work on those muscles:
The RICE Method – if your injury is recent, RICE is a great method to start the recovery process. Even if you are planning on rehabilitation, it can get you kick started prior to working with the professional, so they can take you to the next step when meeting with them.
What RICE stands for is: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This method is highly effective for reducing both the pain and swelling associated with a rotator cuff injury. Typically, you would want to place ice on the shoulders for 15-20 minutes at a time, followed by 15-20 minutes off. If you can apply pressure (compression) with the ice pack, even better. The elevation should be done as often as long as possible, so long as it isn’t affecting your circulation to a significant extent (if your fingers get tingly, give the elevation a rest). When it comes to rest, this should be paramount at this point. In order to recover, the shoulder needs rest. Use the shoulder as little as possible for at least 48 to 72 hours after an injury and only ease your way into things that do not cause pain or discomfort in the shoulders after that. If it hurts, more likely than not, you are either making the injury worse, or at the bare minimum, preventing it from recovering.
Read more at: http://chicagolandmedical.com/blog/rotator-cuff-rehabilitation/
Ok, so the damage is done and you now have to go through rehabilitation, or maybe you have had minor issues in the past and want to keep them from coming back. While working with a professional will be far more comprehensive, here are a few things that you can do on your own to work on those muscles:
The RICE Method – if your injury is recent, RICE is a great method to start the recovery process. Even if you are planning on rehabilitation, it can get you kick started prior to working with the professional, so they can take you to the next step when meeting with them.
What RICE stands for is: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This method is highly effective for reducing both the pain and swelling associated with a rotator cuff injury. Typically, you would want to place ice on the shoulders for 15-20 minutes at a time, followed by 15-20 minutes off. If you can apply pressure (compression) with the ice pack, even better. The elevation should be done as often as long as possible, so long as it isn’t affecting your circulation to a significant extent (if your fingers get tingly, give the elevation a rest). When it comes to rest, this should be paramount at this point. In order to recover, the shoulder needs rest. Use the shoulder as little as possible for at least 48 to 72 hours after an injury and only ease your way into things that do not cause pain or discomfort in the shoulders after that. If it hurts, more likely than not, you are either making the injury worse, or at the bare minimum, preventing it from recovering.
Read more at: http://chicagolandmedical.com/blog/rotator-cuff-rehabilitation/
