Rotator Cuff Tear Creve Coeur, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear in Creve Coeur, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical tasks like sports or the physical demands of your job tougher, but it can also hinder basic activities reaching for something on the top shelf. Our Creve Coeur, 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 on your road to recovery.

Our locally owned and operated network of physical therapy clinics throughout Creve Coeur, MO and Missouri is led by physical and occupational therapists who have dedicated their lives to aiding individuals like you in the Creve Coeur, MO area achieve the mobility and physical health you require. Our extensive clinical expertise, evidence-based practices, and background as motion experts allow us to effectively lead you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Get in touch with 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 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. Over two million people every year in the United States suffer a rotator cuff tear. If you have suffered a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are simply looking for lasting and meaningful pain relief, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Creve Coeur, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will make a tailored, evidence-based therapy program to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Creve Coeur, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that maintains the stability and function between your humerus (upper arm bone) and shoulder. On top of holding your shoulder in place, the rotator cuff helps you lift and rotate your arm. For any physical activity necessitating use of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles operate in tandem with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to raise 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 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that holds in place the head of your humerus and helps you elevate your arm.
The infraspinatus is a thick triangle-shaped muscle behind the shoulder which aids rotation and extension of the shoulder.
The teres minor is a narrow muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to extend your arm away from your body and hold the arm in place during rotation.
The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the largest of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

The rotator cuff is essential in almost every type of shoulder movement. A healthy rotator cuff has equal strength and control in order to have full range of motion. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Creve Coeur, 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.

Rotator Cuff Tear Creve Coeur, MO | Occupational and Physical Therapy | Sports Injury

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

The two main causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can happen when you lift a heavy object or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration transpires due to overuse or typical weakening of the muscles and tendons with age. No matter what kind of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Creve Coeur, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to empower you in your treatment.

There are three basic kinds of rotator cuff injuries:

Rotator cuff tears happen because 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 repeating day-to-day movements over time like repeatedly lifting heavy objects. They begin with fraying and ultimately tear. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears show no symptoms with many people living with them unknowingly. A small injury can regularly reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
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 just outside the joint. Teninopathy regularly happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often the result of weakness or incorrect posture.
Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Often caused by repetitive shoulder activities, injury, or age. Impingement syndrome can be a precursor to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three injuries can be treated effectively with conservative treatment like physical therapy. 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 Creve Coeur, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will develop a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or conducting necessary everyday tasks like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Creve Coeur, 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 experience 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. Some common risk factors are:
- 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—like baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job requires you to carry out a certain motion repetitively.
- Lack of Blood Supply — As we age our body supplies less blood to our rotator cuff, and as a result it is harder for the body to heal small tears, which can lead to larger tears. The rotator cuff is infamous 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.

Getting older is the best-known risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; most rotator cuff tears are caused by the standard wear and tear our bodies are subjected to over time, and are most common in people over the age of 40. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries frequently develop them through acute trauma. Creve Coeur, 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 a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause immediate pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more subtle. There are some common rotator cuff tear symptoms to be aware of:

Difficulty elevating your arm
Pain or soreness when performing 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 motions
Inability to lift things you can typically lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Creve Coeur, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work with your doctor to come up with a game plan that will safely and successfully get you back to the activities you love. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective method to have your shoulder analyzed. Early examination and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally heal – 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 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 asking yourself what the most successful means of treatment is in Creve Coeur, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help assuage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, 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 rotator cuff tears with full-thickness tears or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and implement the best treatment plan for you. We will work alongside you to make an evidence-based, tailored plan to get you back to the activities you love, free from the pain and 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:

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Creve Coeur, 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 empathetic physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively lead you as you heal. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we build a tailored 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 can’t wait to see you once again able to high-five your clinical team as you leave. Contact us today by picking the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.