QUIZTIME: Fitness Quiz Answers, Question 2

ℹ️ QUIZTIME: Fitness Quiz Answers, Question 2

Here is more detail on the answer to question two from the short 10 question fitness quiz we recently took!

2. More than half of adults 60 and older have had this injury:

ℹ️ ANATOMY

These muscles work together to stabilize the shoulder joint during movement.

ℹ️ CAUSES OF INJURY

Rotator cuff tears may be caused by repetitive overhead movements (like pitching a baseball or spiking a volleyball), trauma (like a car accident or fall), or can be age-related.

These injuries may occur earlier in people who have jobs that require repeatedly performing overhead motions, such as painters and carpenters. 50% of adults over 60 years old have had a rotator cuff tear and 95% of adults over 80 years old have had a rotator cuff tear. In large part, this is due to the regular wear and tear of the rotator cuff along with the decreased elasticity of the muscles.

ℹ️ SYMPTOMS

• Dull pain
• Weakness in the arm
• Clicking sound when arm is moved

A doctor can diagnose a rotator cuff tear. They may perform a physical examination, order X-rays, request an MRI, or call for other tests.

ℹ️ TREATMENT

Generally, treatment for a rotator cuff tear includes rest and ice. However, if tendons or muscles have detached from the bone, the patient may need surgery to reattach to the bone.

ℹ️ PREVENTION

Ways to prevent rotator cuff injury:

1. Strengthen the muscles of the shoulder joint, including the rotator cuff.
2. Practice good posture in order to maintain proper alignment of shoulder joint.
3. Warm-up prior to activity (especially overhead activity like tennis, or swinging motions like golf).
4. Try to avoid sleeping on your shoulder with your arm stretched overhead.
5. Avoid smoking, as that decreases blood flow to the tissue.

Sources: seniorcenteredpt, healthline, caring senior service, Florida Orthopaedic Institute