When Kobe Bryant scheduled rotator cuff surgery in 2015, he said, "The funny thing about it is, I've been playing with it, I guess, torn for a long time. I can shoot, but I just keep tearing it more and more and more."

Not the best approach for shoulder problems.

The rotator cuff is made up of four tendons around the ball joint of the upper arm. It's a complex structure, allowing motion in many directions. But it's easy to damage.

Shoulder pain often occurs when rotator cuff tendons become inflamed or damaged, causing tendinitis or bursitis. Shoulder pain can also be caused by arthritis, bone spurs, frozen shoulder, overuse or injury of nearby tendons or muscles, poor posture or lousy ergonomics at computer/desk, and nerve injury from trauma or misuse.

I had rotator cuff surgery in December 2022 because I tore three tendons and partially tore a fourth doing a chest press with my usual weights — but without my usual lighter-weight warmup. I'm recovering, but the message is: Don't skip the warmup.

If you have mild shoulder pain, you can ease the discomfort by following these tips:

• Ice the shoulder for 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off, several times a day.

• Practice good posture and do range-of-motion exercises (get instruction from a physical therapist).

• Take NSAIDs to ease inflammation or acetaminophen for pain relief.

If the pain worsens or doesn't fade in a couple of weeks, see your doctor.