Rotory Cuff Diagnosis

Does anyone know of any way to diagnose a rotary cuff problem?

My GP didn't know what it was, so she has referred me to a specialist but the appointment isn't for 2 weeks.

Since the 'rotator' cuff is a common injury spot any GP should be acquainted with it. Basically, if rotation of the shoulder joint is painful you may have an injury there. Exactly what will depend on which direction of rotation hurts. So....lay off for a couple of weeks until you find out what is wrong or go to a physiotherapist and get a faster answer perhaps.

Rotator cuff. Just so you know.

MRI... Not a CT scan or X-ray.

Large doses of Glucosamine Sulfate work well for that over a 6 month period. If you want to try food therapy instead of supplements, e-mail me privately and I'll give you the natural sources.

I think they are yummy personally, and I found that they worked faster than the supplements. I trashed my left Rotator cuff mowing the lawn with an old, manual, rotary lawn mower when the grass was too long. Could not even lift my arm to shoulder level. It's normal now.

LK,

I injured mine in a motorcycle crash (over the handlebars into a tumbling roll) in the early 80's. Diagnosis was simple - small town MD had me go thru a few arm movements with him providing light resistance. Stnading, with my elbows down, forearms parallel to the floor with palms facing in, his hands against the back of mine, he told me to push against his hands. My right hand rotated outward easily, while my left had no strength and the attempt at movement caused considerable pain. Prescribed regimen was imobilize for a few days, take Tylenol, and begin to use it as the pain diminished.

Over the years other muscles have compensated (I never had it 'fixed' - occasionally I will have it go numb when I get a military press to far back, or reach overhead and behind my shoulder. Other than that, I've lifted, played golf, baseball, softball, & volleyball with little problem.

Good luck!

You might post your symptoms to give the rest of us a clue about helping you.

Hi,

How long did it take for your shoulder to get back to 'normal.'

Fair point.

It only really hurts when I do the following with my left arm:

1 - hold my arm as if doing a hammer curl with my forearm parallel to the floor, then rotate my arm outwards, on the right hand side I can get my forearm in the same plane as my body, on left I can only get about 45 degrees then I can't physically move it any more and it hurts when I move it past 45 degrees with assistance.

2 - put both arms overhead, at full stretch, as though they were grasping a lat bar, then pull both down as though doing a pulldown behind the head. on right hand side I can get elbow all the way down, on left hand side it hurts a lot when I get my wrist about level with my shoulder. and I can't keep my forearm in the same plane as my body it naturally tries to rotate forwards.

I only get slight pain when doing pulldowns to chest, which I dropped from my routine as soon as they started hurting. I don't get any pain when I incline, don't flat BP, don't get any pain doing side laterals, I don't shoulder press either.

Hope the above is descriptive, don't know if anyone can help diagnose from this.

Thanks anyway.

Teres Minor or Infraspinatus. Prolly infraspinatus? Doctor time.

Are these in the shoulder? That is the only place I get any pain.

Yeah, they're the two rotator cuff muscles that do external rotation.