Still, when necessary, this operation can reduce the pain from arthritis of the shoulder joint. You may wish to review the documents on shoulder anatomy in more detail. They are located here. The tendons of four muscles form the rotator cuff. The muscles are called the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.
Tendons attach muscles to bones.
Muscles are able to move bones by pulling on these tendons. The part of the scapula that makes up the roof of the shoulder is called the acromion. Between the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons there is a bursa. There are many bursae all over the body where tissues must move against one another. The bursa is a lubricated sac of tissue that protects the muscles and tendons as they move against one another.