The rotator cuff is a group of muscles which come from the shoulder blade and wrap around the top of the shoulder, forming a ‘cuff’.
These muscles stabilise and rotate the shoulder. There are four different muscles that form the ‘cuff’, three of them (supraspinatus, infraspinatus and trees minor) attach to the back of the shoulder and one (subscapularis) to the front.
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which means that these
muscles are constantly ‘loaded’ in their stabilisation role, making them
highly vulnerable to injury. Any of the four muscles can be injured but the
supraspinatus is most commonly involved and therefore most likely to be
sprained or torn.
An injured rotator cuff can greatly reduce shoulder function, cause
significant pain and take a very long time to recover. It is not advised to
ignore it! When completely torn, it may need to be repaired surgically.
Look at the exercises category in the News section of the website for
recommended exercises that help keep rotator cuffs in good health and
prevent injury.