Rotator Cuff Tear in Dellwood, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical requirements of your occupation harder, but it can also affect basic tasks driving a car. Our Dellwood, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy caters each treatment plan specifically to each client, their injury, and their desired activity level. 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 Dellwood and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our considerable clinical expertise, proven treatment plans, and background as movement experts permit us to effectively lead you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Start working with a dedicated physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or learn 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 visit a doctor or physical therapist owing to rotator cuff tears. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from playing the sports you once loved playing, or just making daily tasks painful, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Dellwood, 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 Dellwood, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that holds the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. In addition to helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff lets you raise your arm and lift it over your head. For any functional task necessitating use of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature operate together with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper limb. It’s the synergy between the rotator cuff and the larger, more powerful muscles, along with the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that enables the substantial range of movement 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 behind the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a narrow muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to move your arm to the side and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the biggest of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

Moving your arm or shoulder with an injured rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff has equal strength and control in all four muscles in order to correctly rotate, raise, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Dellwood, 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 main causes of rotator cuff injuries are acute trauma or chronic degeneration. Trauma can occur when you lift a heavy object or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration transpires owing to overuse or standard weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. No matter what kind of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Dellwood, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to empower you as you heal.

There are three basic sorts of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused because of trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear totally 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 happen because of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive every day motions over time like swimming. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. 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 degeneration of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. 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 in their occupation. The irritation is often because of rotator cuff weakness, incorrect 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 be a prelude to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three injuries can be treated successfully with conservative treatment like physical therapy. While individualized physical therapy can reduce symptoms and improve movement, Axes can also help you with pre- and post-surgical rehab if a full-thickness tear required surgery. Our Dellwood, 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 owning your Dellwood, MO pick-up basketball league, painting your walls, or performing basic daily activities like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Dellwood, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

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

• Acute Tears — This kind of rotator cuff tear occurs when you suffer a specific injury. Maybe you fell on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also occur with other injuries to the shoulder, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can happen when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—such as baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your occupation requires you to carry out a certain 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 — The acromion, the bony tip on the outer edge of your shoulder blade, is prone to overgrowth . Over time, the bone can irritate a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, leading it to fray and tear.

Age is the most understood risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; the majority of rotator cuff tears are because of the typical wear and tear our bodies undergo over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common risks for Dellwood, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always exhibit symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it develops slowly over time. Acute tears normally cause immediate pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more subtle. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out specific shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, especially 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 experience any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you reach out to a medical professional such as the Dellwood, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work in tandem with your physician to coordinate a plan for your treatment. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective method to have your shoulder evaluated. Early examination and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally recover from – or arthritis, which can lead to chronic pain and injury to your shoulder joint. We have the expertise and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s raising 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 most successful means of treatment is in Dellwood, MO. In most cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help ameliorate the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also receive anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help manage pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in cases with full-thickness tears or if rest and physical therapy have not been successful. The expert physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and implement the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to design 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:

• 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 Dellwood, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result 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 caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively guide you as you heal. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we design a customized 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 recover from your rotator cuff tear, and we look forward to seeing you once again able to high-five your clinical team as you leave. Contact us today by selecting the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.