Rotator Cuff Tear in Berkeley, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical demands of your work harder, but it can also impede daily tasks pouring a cup of coffee. Our Berkeley, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a personalized treatment plan that will safely get you back to full strength and mobility – pain free. Fill out our online form or schedule an appointment today to get started on your road to recovery.

All of our physical therapy clinics in Berkeley and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as motion experts permit us to successfully lead you in heal your rotator cuff tear. Get in touch with a physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or discover more about the location most convenient for you.

A rotator cuff tear can either be acute — meaning it happens as the result of an injury, such as falling or lifting a heavy object — or can happen gradually because of overuse. More than two million people every year nationwide suffer a rotator cuff tear. If you have experienced a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are just looking for permanent and meaningful pain relief, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Berkeley, MO physical therapy team will have you high-fiving and lifting your arms again sooner than you thought possible.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Berkeley, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the top of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is proportionately shallow. On top of helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff helps you raise your arm and lift it above your head. For any physical endeavor needing usage of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature function in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift or move the upper limb. It’s the synergy between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, combined with the bone anatomy of the shoulder, that enables the large amount of motion in the shoulder. The rotator cuff contains:

1. The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that keeps the humerus in place and is responsible for lifting your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a deep triangular muscle on the back of the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a thin muscle that works in concert with the infraspinatus to rotate your arm to the side and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the most sizable of the rotator cuff muscles. It allows you to rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

Moving your arm or shoulder without a healthy rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff requires balanced strength and control in order to have optimal range of motion. If you’re experiencing pain or limited motion in your shoulder, come see Axes for a free injury screening.

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injuries are either caused by sudden injuries or chronic degeneration. Trauma can transpire when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too far. Degeneration happens due to overuse or customary weakening of the muscles and tendons as you age. Regardless of what sort of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Berkeley, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to lead you in your treatment.

Rotator cuff injuries fall into 1 of the 3 categories below:

1. Rotator cuff tears happen as a result of trauma or can be more chronic in nature. The most common tear is a partial tear, which damages a tendon, while a full-thickness tear completely separates a tendon from the bone. They can be caused by trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive day-to-day movements over time like swimming. They begin with fraying and eventually tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. A small injury can often reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is swelling, irritation or weakening of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. The pain occurs in the area surrounding the joint. Teninopathy consistently happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often because of weakness or incorrect posture.
3. Impingement happens when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during certain arm motions. Usually occurring with overhead activities. Impingement syndrome can later lead to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

Licensed physical therapists can help you recover from any of these injuries with a personalized treatment plan. While some complete and partial tears of the rotator cuff may need surgery, a course of individualized physical therapy with a highly-knowledgeable physical therapist can assuage symptoms and better function notably. Our Berkeley, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will make a customized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or carrying out necessary daily tasks like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Berkeley, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

A rotator cuff tear can be designated as one of the following:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear happens when you sustain a specific injury. You may have fallen on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, for example a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also known as chronic rotator cuff tears. Some common risk factors are:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can transpire when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—including baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your work requires you to carry out a specific motion repeatedly.
  • Lack of Blood Supply — Proper blood flow ensures that minor injuries heal properly. When blood flow is restricted, irritation can gradually turn into a tear. The rotator cuff is infamous for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — Bone overgrowth can also occur as we become older, and bone spurs can frequently occur on the underside of the acromion, which acts as the roof of your shoulder . Bone spurs can lead to impingement, which in turn leads to rotator cuff tears.

Most rotator cuff tears happen to people over the age of 40 as a result of the wear and tear our bodies experience as we go through life. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common risks for Berkeley, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always experience symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause immediate pain, but sometimes the symptoms are harder to notice. There are some standard rotator cuff tear symptoms to look out for:

• Trouble lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out certain shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, especially if you’re lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Hearing or feeling clicking, grating, or popping with certain arm motions
• Inability to lift things you can usually lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Berkeley, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work in tandem with your physician to come up with a game plan that will safely and successfully get you back to the activities you love. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is a simple, cost-effective means of having your shoulder evaluated. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to completely recover from – or arthritis, which can result in chronic pain and damage to your shoulder joint. We have the know-how and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s picking up your grandchildren over your head or striking out the side.

Treatments for a Rotator Cuff Tear

If you have been diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, you may be uncertain as to what the best means of treatment is in Berkeley, MO. In the majority of cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be adequate to help manage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. If the pain is severely debilitating, a physician make recommend anti-inflammatory medicine or injections. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in cases where the tendon is completely torn or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. The professional physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and implement the best treatment plan for you. We will work with you to build an evidence-based, customized plan to get you back to what you love doing, pain-free and without the limitations of a rotator cuff tear.

We treat a wide variety of conditions and complaints and have a team of specialists ready to help you. Some of our other services are:

• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Berkeley, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear happened because of an injury or of wear and tear over time, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from expert and compassionate physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully lead you in your recovery. Each rotator cuff tear is different, and at Axes Physical Therapy we create a tailored plan for you based on evidence and your individual needs. As your physical therapist, we work hard to help you restore your movement health and help you heal from your rotator cuff tear, and we look forward to seeing you once again able to high-five your clinical team on your way out. Contact us today by choosing the location closest to you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.