Rotator Cuff Tear in Boles, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical requirements of your work tougher, but it can also impede every day tasks reaching for something on the top shelf. Our Boles, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a tailored 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.

Our locally owned and operated network of physical therapy clinics throughout Boles, MO and Missouri is run by physical and occupational therapists who have committed their lives to assisting individuals like you in the Boles, MO area achieve the mobility and physical well-being you require. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts permit us to effectively guide you in heal your rotator cuff injury. 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 be the result of trauma or overuse over time. More than two million people each year nationwide must see a doctor or physical therapist due to rotator cuff tears. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are only looking for lasting and meaningful pain relief, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Boles, 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 Boles, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that maintains the stability and function between your humerus (upper arm bone) and shoulder. As well as keeping your shoulder in place, the rotator cuff permits you to raise your arm and elevate it over your head. For any physical task needing usage of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles operate in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper limb. The wide range of motion our arms and shoulders have is due to our rotator cuff working in tandem with larger shoulder muscles and the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder. The rotator cuff consists of:

1. The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that holds in place the head of your humerus and permits you to raise your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a thick triangle-shaped 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 away from your body and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the largest of the rotator cuff muscles. It permits 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 has balanced strength and control in all four muscles in order to adequately rotate, lift, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Boles, MO occupational and physical therapists at Axes for a free injury screening, so we can design an evidence-based plan to return you to to the activities you love.

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

The two chief causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can happen when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration occurs owing to overuse or standard weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Whatever sort of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Boles, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you in your recovery.

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 transpire as a result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive daily movements over time like repeatedly lifting heavy objects. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears do not have symptoms with many people not knowing that they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a mild injury.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. Patients typically feel pain in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy regularly happens to people who frequently lift their arms overhead, whether in sports or as part of their job. The irritation is often caused by rotator cuff weakness, poor posture, and weakness of the muscles in the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Often caused by repetitive shoulder activities, injury, or age. 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 individualized physical therapy can reduce symptoms and improve function, Axes can also help you with pre- and post-surgical rehab if a full-thickness tear required surgery. Our Boles, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a customized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to owning your local pick-up basketball league, painting your walls, or performing necessary daily tasks like pouring a cup of coffee pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Boles, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

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

• Acute Tears — This kind of rotator cuff tear occurs when you suffer trauma. Maybe you attempted to lift something you shoulder could not support. They can also be caused by other structural damage, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also called chronic rotator cuff tears. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. This can transpire when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—such as baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job requires you to perform a specific motion over and over.
  • 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 well known for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — Bone overgrowth can also happen as we get older, and bone spurs can often 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 causes for Boles, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always feel symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause instant pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more subtle. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness with certain shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the injured shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Hearing or feeling clicking, grating, or popping with specific arm movements
• Inability to lift things you can usually lift

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s imperative that you reach out to a medical professional such as the Boles, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work with your doctor to coordinate a plan for your recovery. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective means of having your shoulder evaluated. Early evaluation and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally recover from – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the knowledge and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s picking up your grandkids 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 most effective means of treatment is in Boles, MO. In most cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help ameliorate the symptoms, encourage the body’s natural healing process, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also receive anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help reduce pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in cases with full-thickness tears or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to analyze your condition and implement the best treatment method for you. We will work with you to create an evidence-based, tailored 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:

• MCL Injury
• Shoulder Pain
• Injury Prevention
• Mobility
• Knee Injury
• Joint Pain
• Sciatica
• Dry Needling
• ACL Tear
• Pain Management

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

Whether your rotator cuff tear happened because of an injury or of weakening over time, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from expert and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively shepherd you as you heal. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we build a customized plan for you based on evidence and your individual needs. As your physical therapist, we work hard to help you recover your movement health and help you heal from your rotator cuff tear, and we can’t wait to see you once again able to high-five your clinical team as you leave. Contact us today by choosing the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.