Therapy

The therapy of rotator cuff syndrome is mainly conservative. Only in the case of failure of the non-surgical treatment measures is surgery considered. The following options are available for treating rotator cuff syndrome: pain therapy using tablets, creams or gels, physiotherapy (manual therapy, exercise therapy), cortisone injection into the shoulder joint (intra-articular infiltration), stretching and strengthening exercises of the rotator cuff, operative therapy using arthroscopy or open surgery.

Pain therapy with tablets, creams or gels,
Physiotherapy (manual therapy, exercise therapy),
Cortisone injection into the shoulder joint (intra-articular infiltration),
Stretching and strengthening exercises of the rotator cuff,
Surgical therapy using arthroscopy or open surgery.

Drugs are used to inhibit inflammation and relieve pain. For this purpose NSARs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen are used. For a sufficient effect, care should be taken to take them regularly.

The tablets are taken three times a day. Since these painkillers can often also attack the mucous membrane of the stomach, additional administration of a stomach protector such as pantoprazole should be given in the case of prolonged use or in patients with a history of stomach mucous membrane disease. Stretching and strengthening exercises of the muscles of the rotator cuff should be performed to treat and prevent the syndrome.

Before exercises are performed, care should be taken to ensure that the shoulder is sufficiently warmed up, for example by means of shoulder circles. In order to strengthen the muscles, exercises with light weights can be performed at a cable pull station (for example, in a gym). This should train the muscles responsible for internal and external rotation and for lifting the arm.

It is also important to stretch the shoulder sufficiently in all directions after the exercises. The cortisone injection serves to inhibit inflammation and relieve pain in the shoulder joint.This therapy is also known as intra-articular infiltration, whereby the cortisone is injected directly into the joint. The cortisone preparation triamcinolone, for example, is used here.

This therapy usually relieves pain immediately, but should not be used too often, as cortisone can cause tendon degeneration and tendon rupture. Tapen serves as an additional support of the conservative therapy during the healing phase and stabilizes the shoulder and relieves the muscles. To tap the shoulder, this should be done according to correct instructions, for example by a physiotherapist or doctor.

Since it is also difficult to apply a tape to the shoulder itself, it is necessary for the tape to be applied by another person. Surgery becomes necessary when conservative measures are not effective and, for example, pain and movement restrictions persist for a long period of time. A further indication for surgery is when shoulder problems increasingly restrict the person concerned in the continuation of his or her usual life and the quality of life is reduced. By means of arthroscopy, disturbing and movement-restricting structures can then be removed (decompression).