Do Steroid Injections Increase Risk For Rotator Cuff Tears In The Long Term?
If you are Googling “rotator cuff tear treatment in Visalia,” here’s some research you need to know about. It’s important for patients to be well informed. New information could save you time, money, and help you avoid prolonged shoulder pain.
A Quick Rotator Cuff Anatomy Review
The rotator cuff is a crucial component of the shoulder that allows it to function. It connects the upper arm bone (humerus) to the shoulder blade (scapula) with four muscles, each of which has a tendon that attaches to different parts of the scapula. These tendons form a “cuff” around the head of the humerus, and all the muscles work together to control and stabilize the shoulder.
But when any of the tendons of the rotator cuff becomes injured or torn, the tendon becomes detached from the head of the humerus, and the injury is called a rotator cuff tear. Some rotator cuff tears occur after sudden injuries like falling on an outstretched arm or lifting a heavy object, but most develop gradually over time after the tendon gradually loses its strength. Athletes involved in overhead sports like baseball, tennis, and weightlifting, and those who are older than 40 are at a greater risk for rotator cuff tears.
Highly Recommended – Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Problems (We Treat This Condition in Hanford & Visalia)
Physical therapy is recommended for most patients with rotator cuff tears and treatment typically includes:
- manual (hands-on) therapy,
- strengthening and stretching exercises,
- deep tissue laser therapy,
- patient education, and
- passive modalities like ice/heat and taping.
Nonetheless, many patients decide to have steroid injections either in addition to or instead of physical therapy because injections can provide short-term pain relief; however, some experts (these are medical doctors as well as physical therapists) are concerned that injections might have negative effects on tendon health over time.
Thankfully, There’s a Research Study About This
Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of steroid injections on the risk for rotator cuff tears. The study’s authors collected data on patients who were diagnosed with shoulder disease and divided them into one group for those who received a steroid injection and another group for those who did not.
This search led to 1,025 patients being included, 205 of whom received a steroid injection and 820 of whom did not. The rate of rotator cuff tears was 9.8% in patients who received steroid injections versus only 1.2% in patients who did not, which indicated that steroid injections increased the risk for a rotator cuff tear by 7.44 times. The average time to a rotator cuff tear from the date of the steroid injection was 39 months.
These findings suggest that although steroid injections can effectively alleviate pain in the short-term, they appear to increase the risk for rotator cuff tears over time. Therefore, healthcare providers and patients with shoulder pain should consider these findings and carefully weigh the risks and benefits of steroid injections when determining the best course of treatment.
In addition, we encourage patients that are looking for rotator cuff tear treatment in Visalia or Hanford to contact us for a detailed initial evaluation, and you’ll receive a comprehensive treatment program for your shoulder pain.
