rotator cuff

rotator cuff

n.

1. An anatomical structure composed of the tendons of four muscles that control rotation of the shoulder and of parts of the capsule of the shoulder joint.

2. The set of four muscles that control rotation of the shoulder.

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rotator cuff  (rttr)

A group of muscles and tendons attaching the shoulder to the scapula (shoulder blade) that provide stability to the shoulder joint and act to rotate the arm. Injuries to the rotator cuff often happen when the arm is repeatedly moved over the head with great force, as when pitching a baseball.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

rotator cuff - a supporting structure of the shoulder consisting of the muscles and tendons that attach the arm to the shoulder joint and enable the arm to move anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure - a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing; "he has good bone structure" articulatio humeri, shoulder joint, shoulder - a ball-and-socket joint between the head of the humerus and a cavity of the scapula deltoid, deltoid muscle, musculus deltoideus - a large triangular muscle covering the shoulder joint and serving to abduct and flex and extend and rotate the arm