Shoulder Injury Focus: Torn Rotator Cuff

Many victims of car accidents suffer from rotator cuff injuries. What exactly is a rotator cuff? It is actually a group of four muscles and many tendons in the shoulder that cover part of the humerus, enabling the rotation of the arm while holding the shoulder in place. A rotator cuff tear often results from one incident of trauma to the shoulder, despite the assumption by some torn rotator cuffs are only associated with baseball or other sports injuries. In reality, rotator cuff tears occur frequently as a result of car accidents.

If you believe that you may have a torn rotator cuff or another type of shoulder injury as a result of a car accident, you should consult a physician as soon as possible. Common symptoms of the injury include pain or weakness when moving or lifting the arm, muscle atrophy around the shoulder, and a crackling sensation when moving the shoulder. In order to determine whether the existence of these symptoms points to a torn rotator cuff (partial or full), an MRI will most likely be done. If your tear is serious, there may be shoulder impingement or disturbance to the shoulder capsule, often causing extreme pain and a limited range of motion.

If you have sustained an injury to your shoulder such as a torn rotator cuff, call Murphy & Associates at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.