What are the signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff injury?
Rotator cuff symptoms may be acute (happen suddenly) such as if you have fallen down, or they may be chronic (long-lasting). A chronic injury may cause your shoulder muscles to get smaller over time. You may have one or more of the following symptoms: • Pain or stiffness: You may feel pain in your shoulder that also may travel down your arm. The pain may be constant or you feel it some of the time. The pain may be stronger at night. It may be painful lying on the side of your injured shoulder. • Decreased range of motion: You may have trouble lifting your arm. You may find it hard to do movements such as placing your arm behind your back. It may also be hard to use your shoulder for activities such as sports and work. If you have a bad injury, your cuff may not be able to hold the bones of the shoulder in place. If this happens, you may not be able to move your shoulder at all. • Tenderness or swelling: Your shoulder area may swell up and be painful to touch. Your shoulders may look un
