Locations:
Search IconSearch

How Can I Deal With Rotator Cuff Injuries If I’m Over 45?

The short answer from an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon

man with rotator cuff injury

Q: How can I deal with rotator cuff injuries if I’m over 45?

A: People older than age 45 are increasingly at risk for this injury. The cause of a partial or full rotator cuff tear is typically multifactorial and the major factors are age-related degenerative changes of the tendon and increasing/changing loads to the tendon. Certainly, traumas such as falls or shoulder dislocations can lead to tears.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

The rotator cuff is only about 5 millimeters thick, so an injury at the level of slipping on ice can do it. Such injuries cause increased pain and prompt people to go to the doctor, although usually after one week, people will simply be sent home with anti-inflammatory medication.

Usually, when people have shoulder pain, it’s just tendonitis and doesn’t necessarily indicate a tear in the rotator cuff. Tendonitis is more common than a rotator cuff injury and comes from wear and tear. There’s only a certain amount of room for the rotator cuff to fit, and it’s just rubbed underneath and gets inflamed.

Most often, tendonitis is due to activities like common yard work — snow shoveling, leaf raking or spring yard cleanup — that requires repetitive motions the body doesn’t otherwise often make. For tendonitis, we usually recommend a focused, six-month therapy program. This usually gives significant relief.

Physicians typically will order magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for those patients with persistent pain that has failed to improve over 4 to 6 weeks. When a tear is found, it’s often quite a bit more than 4 to 6 weeks old. It is helpful to think of the rotator cuff tendon as a “rope of a thousand strands.” Some of these strands may have already been torn prior to an injury event. There are multiple considerations prior to deciding on surgical repair, including but not limited to the amount of “strands” torn, the location of the “strands” and the quality of the “strands”.

Advertisement

Shoulder injuries take time to heal, even if the rotator cuff isn’t torn. You may wonder: Is ice or heat better for the rotator cuff? We recommend using anti-inflammatories and ice.

— Orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon Michael J. Scarcella, MD

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Person lifting small dumbell weights
October 10, 2024/Chronic Pain
Options for Natural Pain Relief

Always seek medical advice for pain — but exercise, stretching, guided imagery and deep breathing may help in the meantime

Child on baseball mound pitching
July 29, 2024/Children's Health
Preventing Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes

Build breaks into training routines to prevent the wear and tear behind repetitive stress

Healthcare provider checking patient's knee
June 19, 2024/Chronic Pain
Arthritis Exercise: What To Try and What To Avoid

Exercising can actually improve arthritis symptoms — and low-impact exercises are best

Moisturizer being applied to older hands
April 22, 2024/Skin Care & Beauty
How To Make Your Hands Look Younger

To help keep your mitts feeling and looking their best, moisturize, exfoliate, wear sunscreen and eat a healthy diet

Seniors exercising with chairs
April 18, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
11 Chair Exercises for Seniors, Older Adults and People With Limited Mobility

Chair exercises can help people age 65+ retain independence

Hands injecting Botox to patient
March 20, 2024/Skin Care & Beauty
Botox Aftercare: The Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t-Worry-About-Its

Most recommended precautions center around minimizing bruising or swelling

person getting forehead injections in a wrinkle
March 18, 2024/Aging Well
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Botox?

With repeat injections over time, you may be able to slow the development of new wrinkles

Younger person getting a botox injection in forehead from healthcare professional
March 12, 2024/Aging Well
Does Preventative Botox Really Work?

The cosmetic injection may help train your muscles out of frowning, but there’s no hard data to say for sure

Trending Topics

Female and friend jogging outside
How To Increase Your Metabolism for Weight Loss

Focus on your body’s metabolic set point by eating healthy foods, making exercise a part of your routine and reducing stress

stovetop with stainless steel cookware and glassware
5 Ways Forever Chemicals (PFAS) May Affect Your Health

PFAS chemicals may make life easier — but they aren’t always so easy on the human body

jar of rice water and brush, with rice scattered around table
Could Rice Water Be the Secret To Healthier Hair?

While there’s little risk in trying this hair care treatment, there isn’t much science to back up the claims

Ad