Rotator tendon rupture, hyaluronic acid "sticks" back

Shoulder rotator tendon rupture is a common disease in rehabilitation clinics. After a woman over 50 years old moved heavy objects, her shoulders were weak and she could not lift her hands. She was so painful that she could not sleep at night. It was very inconvenient to put on clothes. After a medical examination, it was discovered that the rotator tendon of the shoulder was ruptured. The doctor injected hyaluronic acid to "glue" the ruptured tendon back together, allowing the woman to move her joints freely again. Do not ignore rotator cuff rupture. It usually causes shoulder weakness at least, and can cause severe pain and reduced mobility of the patient's shoulder at worst. (Photography/Zhang Shijie)

Orthopedic surgeon Fan Zhengyu pointed out that rotator cuff rupture is the most common tendon trauma near the scapular joint. Most patients are over 40 years old, and it is relatively rare among teenagers. If young people suffer from rotator cuff rupture, it is usually a severe trauma, mostly caused by repetitive lifting of the arm, overloading work, or sports trauma.

The rotator tendon is mainly composed of four muscles and directly surrounds the proximal part of the humerus like a sleeve. Part of the tendon fuses with the glenohumeral joint capsule. The shoulder rotator muscle key is connected to the greater trochanter (side) or lesser trochanter (front) of the proximal humerus. Its movement makes the humeral head (the ball-shaped part of the shoulder) close to the acetabular fossa of the scapula, stabilizing the shoulder joint.

Generally speaking, ordinary X-ray examination does not show the degree of shoulder rotator muscle tear, and most of them can only reflect minor pathological changes, such as subacromial hyperplasia. (bone spurs) or thickening of the greater trochanter of the humerus, etc. If you find that the shoulder is overworked or causes pain during activity, it should be addressed and treated as soon as possible. In terms of prevention, regular exercise of the shoulder joint to maintain flexibility can help prevent stiffness or soreness of the shoulder and neck joints.

Dr. Fan Zhengyu emphasized that the fracture of the shoulder rotator cuff should not be ignored. Usually it will cause weakness in the shoulder, and in severe cases, it will cause severe pain and reduced mobility of the patient's shoulder, making the patient unable to comb the hair on the back and unable to scratch the back. Itching makes female patients unable to fasten their underwear on their backs, and even putting on clothes is painful, causing great trouble in their lives.

Although hyaluronic acid injections have been mostly used for degenerative knee arthritis in the past, studies in recent years have pointed out that it also has good results when used to treat shoulder rotator tendon rupture. If combined with traditional rehabilitation treatment, joint mobility can be improved. It is better and less painful. However, it still needs to be diagnosed by a doctor and based on the patient's severity and willingness to determine whether hyaluronic acid injection is suitable.