Rotator Cuff Tear in Country Life Acres, MO. A rotator cuff tear not only keep you from the things you love, but can make day-to-day life debilitating. Our Country Life Acres, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a bespoke treatment plan that will safely get you back to full strength and mobility – without any pain. Fill out our online form or schedule an appointment today to get started with healing your rotator cuff injury.

All of our physical therapy clinics in Country Life Acres and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our wide-ranging clinical expertise, proven practices, and background as motion experts equip us to effectively lead you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Reach out to a physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or find out 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 every year nationwide must schedule a visit with a doctor or physical therapist owing to rotator cuff tears. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from playing your favorite sport, or just making daily tasks challenging, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Country Life Acres, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will create a custom-made, evidence-based therapy program to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Country Life Acres, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that holds the top of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. As well as keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff permits you to lift and rotate your arm. For any physical endeavor needing use of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles operate together with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper extremity. The wide range of motion our arms and shoulders have is due to our rotator cuff working in tandem with the surrounding musculoskeletal structure of the shoulder. The 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately 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 narrow muscle that works in tandem with the infraspinatus to extend your arm outward and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the most forceful of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder towards your body, 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 all four muscles in order to adequately rotate, raise, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Country Life Acres, 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 leading causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can transpire when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too far. Degeneration transpires because of overuse or normal weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. No matter what kind of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Country Life Acres, 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 are caused because of trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear entirely separates the tendon from the bone. Usually, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which injures the tendon but does not wholly separate it 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 motions over time like throwing. They start with fraying and in time tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. A small injury can regularly reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is inflammation, irritation or degeneration of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. Patients typically feel pain in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy often happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often due to weakness or incorrect posture.
3. Impingement takes place when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during specific arm motions. Generally the result of overhead activities. Impingement syndrome can later lead to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three injuries can be treated successfully with conservative treatment such as physical therapy. While some complete and partial tears of the rotator cuff may need surgery, a course of individualized physical therapy with an experienced physical therapist can assuage symptoms and ameliorate function considerably. Our Country Life Acres, 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 performing basic daily tasks like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Country Life Acres, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear transpires when you sustain 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 known as chronic rotator cuff tears. Some common risk factors are:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. These are common in sports like swimming and baseball, or jobs that require repeated overhead lifting.
  • Lack of Blood Flow — As we age our body supplies less blood to our rotator cuff, meaning it is more difficult for the body to heal small tears, which can lead to larger tears. The rotator cuff is notorious for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — The acromion, the bony tip on the outer edge of your shoulder blade, is prone to overgrowth . 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. Younger people with rotator cuff tears normally sustain them through acute trauma. Country Life Acres, MO residents who work in certain jobs, play certain sports, or repeatedly lift heavy things or consistently move their arms overhead are also at higher risk.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always feel symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it happens slowly over time. Acute tears usually cause instantaneous pain, but sometimes the symptoms are harder to notice. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to look out for:

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness when performing specific shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Clicking, grating, or popping sensations, especially when associated with specific motions
• Inability to lift things you can usually lift

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you get in touch with a medical professional such as the Country Life Acres, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work in tandem with your physician 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 examined. Early examination and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to entirely heal – or arthritis, which can cause chronic pain and damage to your shoulder joint. We have the knowledge and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s raising your grandkids over your head or swimming 400 meters.

Treatments for a Rotator Cuff Tear

If you have been diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, you may be wondering what the best form of treatment is in Country Life Acres, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be adequate to help ameliorate the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, and eventually get you back to the activities you love. You may also get anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help reduce pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears where the tendon is totally torn or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. The professional physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to evaluate your condition and implement the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to create an evidence-based, personalized 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:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Country Life Acres, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of degeneration over time, you won’t be able to entirely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from professional and compassionate 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 personalized 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 recover 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 picking the location closest to you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.