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Rotator cuff

The rotator cuff is an anatomical term given to the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilise the shoulder.

These muscles all connect to the head of the humerus forming a cuff at shoulder joint. They are important because they hold the head of the humerus in the small and shallow glenoid fossa of the scapula. The rotator cuff is continuous with the joint capsule of the shoulder.

The four muscles that compose this group are:

This group of tendons can become torn, leading to pain and restricted movement of the arm.