How is a Rotator Cuff injury diagnosed?

Medical professionals (such as an orthopedic surgeon or physician) will be able to assess, test and diagnose whether you have a Rotator Cuff injury through a variety of processes.

To begin with, they will gather a medical history about you and your current condition and symptoms. They will inquire about the intensity of your present pain, the duration of your symptoms and the limitations you are experiencing. Details about what instigated the problem, when it started, and whether or not you have ever had treatments for this or a similar condition in the past, are very helpful in assessing your injury.

A physical examination will be performed to determine if you have any signs of a Rotator Cuff or other shoulder injury. They will visually assess and palpate (feel) the bones and soft tissue in both your shoulders to evaluate symmetry and recognize differences. This will identify any abnormalities, such as mild or severe inflammation, bone deformity, atrophied muscles, redness and/or warmth on the skin. You will generally be asked to complete a series of movements to measure your active (performed by you) and passive (performed by your examiner) range of motion. These will test any possible shoulder impingements, as well as your shoulder strength, joint stability and location of tenderness.

Other areas near the source of discomfort, such as your neck, may be examined to ensure your pain is not coming from a ãpinched nerveä in the cervical spine, or to rule out osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Most Common Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Diagnostic Tests

A medical professional will sometimes recommend diagnostic testing to obtain more detailed information about your shoulder condition. There are a variety of different tests available to help them analyze the situation; however these will be dependent on your injury.

X-ray	MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
This will provide an image of the overall structure of the shoulder, and is helpful in identifying abnormal bone shapes and/or spurs, arthritis, or calcific tendonitis.	This will provide more detailed information and will help to evaluate soft tissue (muscle, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue) injuries such as Rotator Cuff tendonitis, fluid in the shoulder and/or partial or complete Rotator Cuff tears.

CT or CAT scan (computerized tomography)

This will be used to provide a more thorough assessment of the bones and tissues in your Rotator Cuff and shoulder.

Further diagnostic tests such as an arthrogram, ultrasound, electromyogram, or arthroscopic surgery can be used to determine the degree and location of your injury if required.

If you are experiencing Rotator Cuff tendonitis, you will generally feel pain and weakness when the arm is lifted in front of the body or overhead. Often all that will be required to determine your condition is a discussion of your medical history, as well as a visual and physical examination of your shoulder. You may be asked to perform a few movement tests to identify which areas of the Rotator Cuff are damaged, such as the following:

To test your Supraspinatus strength, hold your arms out in front of you at a 30 degree angle with your elbows locked and your thumbs pointing down. Gentle pressure will be applied to the top of your arms as you try to move your arms up and away from your body.