The muscles and tendons that keep your arm bone in your shoulder socket and connect your upper arm with your shoulder blade are responsible for a lot of work.
If you feel pain or weakness while trying to store a flight bag in the overhead compartment, lift something off a high shelf, or throw a ball overhead, you might be experiencing the effects of a rotator cuff injury.
FRAYED MUSCLES
Any injured muscle will swell, but your rotator cuff muscles are surrounded by the bones of your shoulder socket. What happens? The interior pressure increases and blood flowing to the muscle diminishes, which means the tissue can start to fray.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons notes that aging can cause your rotator cuff tendons to weaken. This makes them more likely to tear or fray, so people over 65 need to be especially aware of potential injuries.
HOW MASSAGE HELPS
Keeping your shoulder muscles flexible can help reduce pain and stiffness in your rotator cuff. The professional therapists at Massage Envy can help you increase your range of motion and improve your flexibility.
Elongating your muscles, which is accomplished by gentle stretching, can help stimulate blood flow to any affected area. This not only improves range of motion, but also keeps your muscles looser -- making them less prone to strain, and making rotator cuff injury less of a risk.
