• Have trouble raising your arm?
• Feel pain when you move your arm in certain ways or lie on it?
• Have weakness in your shoulder that you did not previously have?
• No longer working out the way you used to?
• Hear clicking or popping when you move your arm?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions you may be dealing with a
rotator cuff tear. Rotator cuff tears can be a scary injury to many athletes and can be damaging to your career if not treated properly. Read below to learn more about the injury, symptoms and remedies for rotator cuff tears.

 
A rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that come together as tendons to form a “cuff” that surround the shoulder joint. The four muscles—supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor—originate from the scapula (shoulder blade). The rotator cuff tendons attach to the head of the humerus in special spots referred to as the greater and lesser tuberosities. The rotator cuff helps to lift and rotate the arm and to stabilize the ball of the shoulder within the joint.

Anyone can develop a rotator cuff injury, but there are factors that can cause someone to be more likely to de velop a rotator cuff injury.  Factors that increase the risk of a rotator cuff injury include:Anyone can develop a rotator cuff injury, but there are factors that can cause someone to be more likely to de velop a rotator cuff injury.

Factors that increase the risk of a rotator cuff injury include:

• Age – As you get older, your risk of a rotator cuff injury increases. Rotator cuff tears are most common in people older than 40, but combinations with other risk factors can reduce the average age at which rotator cuff injuries are seen.
• Athletes – Athletes who regularly use repetitive arm motions, such as baseball pitchers, archers and tennis players, have a greater risk of having a rotator cuff injury.

Those athletes that tend to be most likely to develop rotator cuff injuries include:

• Crossfitters
• Tennis players
• Baseball players
• Football players
• Occupations – Construction related occupations such as carpentry or house painting require repetitive arm motions, often overhead, that can damage the rotator cuff over time.

These are the top three risk factors but there are many other reasons that can cause a torn rotator cuff.

As stated before, if you can answer yes to any of these questions – there is a good chance that you have a torn rotator cuff. You can not fully diagnose yourself without a doctor so if you believe you may have a torn rotator cuff we advise you to go see your primary care physician for a medical diagnosis. However, the following are general indicators that there is an issue with the rotator cuff.

• Trouble raising your arm
• Experiencing pain when you move your arm in certain ways or lie on it
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Unable to lift things as normal
• Hearing clicking or popping

Typically with a rotator cuff injury, you will feel pain in the front of your shoulder that radiates down the side of your arm. It may be present with overhead activities such as lifting or reaching. You may feel pain when you try to sleep on the affected side. You may note weakness in your arm and difficulty with routine activities such as combing your hair or reaching behind your back. If the tear occurs with injury, you may experience acute pain, a snapping sensation, and immediate weakness of the arm.

Surgery is usually a last resort depending on the severity of your tear. If rotator cuff surgery is necessary, there are three different types of surgery your orthopedic surgeon may use.

• Arthroscopic – a small incision is made in the shoulder. An arthroscope – a tube with a small camera and tiny instrument – is then used to fix the tear.
• Open – a larger instrument used by a doctor to go into the muscle of the shoulder and fix the tear.
• Mini-Open – uses both arthroscopic and open methods. This method starts with arthroscope and finishes with a larger instrument to fix the tear.

Rotator cuff surgery may seem like an option but it comes at a hefty price. According to a number of studies, surgical treatment for rotator cuff tears can cost anything between “$300 and $15,000 (hospital cost), and approximately $250 to $5,000 for surgeon fees”. Read below to see if you can skip the surgery and use home remedies to fix your injury.

The answer is YES! Most rotator cuff tears can be treated nonsurgically by using anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, and/or physical therapy. All three of these can be beneficial and can help treat symptoms of a tear. While anti-inflammatory medication and steroid injections can be a great option, natural remedies are your best bet so you are not putting chemicals into your body that could worsen your symptoms. Read below to learn more about natural remedies.

Rotator cuff surgery can come with a steep price and may not be an option for some people. Instead of invasive surgery here are some natural and at home remedies that may be used. Natural remedies include:

• Rest and Ice
  Apply ice to the affected area for 15-20-minute periods at least three times a day.
• Sling
  Slings can often be purchased from a local pharmacy and may be helpful to rest the shoulder in an acute injury.
• Anti-inflammatory Medications Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or Advil can be used to reduce inflammation and temporarily relieve pain at the point of injury.
• Natural Supplements
  Natural supplements such as Flexicus can be used in place of medication and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) in order to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote healthy cartilage growth.

Many of the current remedies for treating rotator cuff injuries involve synthetic chemicals and strong medications that can affect you in ways you cannot predict and cause unwanted side effects. If you are looking for an all-natural remedy that may save you from surgery look no further, this is where Flexicus comes in! Our all-natural supplement is here to help! Flexicus was specially designed to nourish the joints, support stronger cartilage, help stimulate the lubricating fluid in the joints, and increase total mobility.

Recovery times from a rotator cuff injury can vary significantly depending on the severity of the injury and whether or not surgery is required. In the case that surgery is not performed, Flexicus is often used to help during the natural recovery process. As an all-natural supplement, Flexicus can naturally assist in injury recovery and help relieve pain, reduce inflammation, renew and maintain connective tissue, and help in rebuilding cartilage.

If you choose the option of surgery, may opt to use Flexicus pre and post-surgery to aid in recovery. A supplement like Flexicus can be helpful you to help with the inflammation and renew the connective tissue. Please be aware though that if you choose to start Flexicus, either in addition to or in place of surgery, it is imperative to make sure you monitor your activity and not start heavy activity prematurely. Often times, individuals start to feel relief and believe they are ready to push themselves with strenuous activity and cause greater injury in the process. Make sure in the beginning to keep your activity limited and do not push yourself too hard in order to avoid further injury.

Deciding whether you need surgery is a case by case decision which should be made after hearing all of your options and consulting with your doctor. The need for rotator cuff surgery will typically depend on the severity of the tear, and knowing all of your options (including home remedies) could save you thousands of dollars. Whether or not you are using home remedies to cure your tear or recovering from rotator cuff surgery, one of the best pieces of advice for a recovering athlete is to take a natural supplement. Flexicus is an all-natural supplement that was specially designed with the athlete in mind in order to nourish the joints, support stronger cartilage, help stimulate the lubricating fluid in the joints, and increase total mobility. It is hard to prevent rotator cuff injuries, but it is easy to provide yourself with the help you need to heal.

Doctors and physical therapists believe Flexicus can help, scientists believe our ingredients can help, but most importantly our customers know it is helping (and clinical trials of CM8, the key ingredient in Flexicus, have shown that it works)! It’s time to get back to the activities you love without the harmful side effects of other products. By taking an all-natural supplement you can finally feel relief from your injuries and get back in the game!