Rotator cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles whose tendons surround and stabilise the shoulder joint. An acute injury, e.g. due to a fall, may cause the tendons to tear off, a phenomenon known as rotator cuff rupture.

The most frequent cause of injury, however, is wear of the cuff, which often occurs in athletes or manual workers exposed to excessive shoulder loads. A typical symptom of this disorder is pain of varying intensity lasting for months or years.

Rotator cuff injuries are often treated with an inverse prosthesis.