It’s very common and you can get If you fall on an outstretched arm or with repeated movements in sports (throwing, basketball, volleyball), working with your hands above shoulder height, heavy lifting, reaching overhead, postural faults, muscle imbalance. There is increased compression on the tendons, encroaching in the sub acromial space. They degenerate with age, 30% of general population experiences shoulder pain.

• Unable to lift arm to side and forward more than 90 degrees 
• Pain outer upper arm front and top of shoulder (excessive load on rotator cuff tissues) 
• Sleeping on affected side and night pain
• Pain raising arms above head and reaching behind
•  Swelling and tenderness on front shoulder 
• Clicking in shoulder raising arm overhead 
• Loss of strength 

Medical

If you visit a GP you will likely be given anti inflammatories like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, rest and stop any physical activity that causes pain. If it doesn’t clear, a steroid injection is next, then ultrasound MRI and surgery as last resort.

Hands on treatment

Manual therapy: You can try Physiotherapy or Osteopathy. These are evidence based interventions proven to work.

A combination of manual therapy techniques will be selected by our experts after taking into account your past medical history, spinal mechanics, aggravating and maintaining factors, lifestyle.

• Aim: reduce pain, swelling, regain normal range of movement and strength 
• Rest and ice 
• Avoid triggering activities
• Massage and stretch
• Stretch posterior capsule if tight
• Kinesiotape
• Therapeutic ultrasound
• Correct training errors, scapulohumeral rhythm and instability
• Pendulum 
• Strength work when symptom free 

You may need to make some lifestyle modifications addressing safe technique, correct sitting posture at desk, sleeping position. We have specialist therapists to advise you on this. 

If rotator cuff tendinopathy is mild and you begin treatment early you can resolve it in 2-4 weeks. If severe it can take months.