Symptoms
- Pain at rest and at night
- Pain when lifting or lowering the arm
- Weakness when rotating the arm
- Crackling sensation with shoulder movement
- Difficulty reaching behind the back
Common causes
- Repetitive overhead motions
- Age-related degeneration
- Acute injury from a fall or heavy lifting
- Bone spurs rubbing against the tendon
- Poor blood supply with aging
How physiotherapy helps
Conservative treatment includes progressive rotator cuff strengthening, scapular stabilisation, manual therapy, and activity modification. Post-surgical rehab follows surgeon's protocol with phased progression.
Exercises your physiotherapist may give you
- Pendulum exercises
- Isometric rotator cuff exercises
- External rotation with resistance band
- Internal rotation with resistance band
- Scapular squeezes
- Wall push-ups (progressive)
Please note: start these exercises only after an assessment, and stop if pain increases. Your physiotherapist will choose the right exercises, number of repetitions and progression for you.
Guide written by the physiotherapists of CAPT – Centre for Advanced Physiotherapy, MVM Educational Trust. For more reading, search MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine).