4 Sports That May Put You At Risk for a Rotator Cuff Injury

In the general population, rotator cuff injuries are more likely to affect women and men over the age of 80. In fact, about 65% of elderly adults injure their rotator cuff due to weakened, overused tissues.

However, if you’re an athlete, you may be at increased risk for a rotator cuff tear, even if you’re young and in excellent condition. You’re more at risk if you’re an overhead athlete who swings or throws with force, which can rip or stretch rotator cuff tissues or dislocate your shoulder. 

A healthy rotator cuff consists of a group of muscles and tendons that keep the top of your upper arm joint (i.e., humerus) securely and flexibly in its socket by attaching to the shoulder blade (i.e., scapula). The muscles in each rotator cuff are the:

• Subscapularis
• Infraspinatus
• Teres minor
• Supraspinatus

The tendons that attach to these four muscles form a cuff around the head of the humerus. When you throw, swing, or rotate your arm, the stress of those actions (particularly if they’re repetitive) can stretch or tear the rotator cuff.

Kellie K. Middleton, MD, an orthopedic expert and sports specialist, diagnoses and treats rotator cuff injuries in all ages. At our office in Lawrenceville, Georgia, she helps you heal and rehab so you can return to play. 

Are you at risk for a rotator cuff injury? Following are the four sports most likely to lead to injuries and tears of those essential, stabilizing tendons and muscles.

Baseball

The most obvious sport to put you at risk for a rotator cuff injury is baseball, particularly if you’re a pitcher. Pitchers and throwing athletes must exert tremendous force on their arm and shoulder in their wind-up and release — taxing both the shoulder’s mobility and power.

Other positions are also at risk for rotator cuff injuries because they also have to throw overhead for long distances. Swinging a bat also creates tremendous stress on the rotator cuff.

One study on collegiate baseball athletes demonstrated that rotator cuff injuries account for 45.6% of game-related injuries. Rotator cuff tears can take you out of the game for the rest of the season.

Tennis

Tennis players swing racquets in multiple directions, putting them at risk for overuse injuries and tears to the rotator cuff. Serving, in particular, creates tremendous force within the ball-and-socket of the shoulder joint. In fact, 45%-60% of all strokes in a tennis match are serves.

Up to 17% of all tennis injuries involve overuse injuries to the shoulder and rotator cuff. Players over age 50 are particularly susceptible to complete tears in the rotator cuff, while younger players are more likely to sustain microtraumas or nerve impingements.

Wrestling

Wrestling is probably derived from hand-to-hand combat and is referred to as the world’s oldest sport. Documents and artifacts demonstrate that wrestling was performed as a sport as early as 3000 BCE in Egypt and Babylonia. Cultures as diverse as the Swiss, Japanese, Cossacks, and Greeks all engaged in wrestling. 

The stress of awkward positions during a wrestling match can sometimes lead to a rotator cuff tear or injury. Wrestlers may fall to the mat or be thrown on their shoulders, which can cause rotator cuff strains and full or partial shoulder dislocations.

Rowing

Although there’s no swinging, throwing, or falling in rowing, it’s another sport that forces extension and mobility of the upper arm and shoulder while under great stress. One of the most common shoulder injuries in rowers is impingement: the rotator cuff tendons get pinched between the humerus and scapula.

Care for your cuff

If you’re an athlete that throws, swings, or rotates your arms with force on a regular basis, take steps to minimize the chance that you suffer a rotator cuff injury. Be sure you always warm up your shoulders and arms before playing and cool down afterward.

Whenever you notice pain or stiffness in your shoulder, immediately institute the R.I.C.E. (rest, icing, compression, elevation) and then M.E.A.T. (movement, exercise, analgesics, treatment) therapies. If pain or stiffness persists, call us ASAP for diagnosis and treatment.

Are you at risk for a rotator cuff injury, or have you already suffered one? Find out how to get back in the game by contacting us today by phone or online.