Rotator Cuff Tear in Farmington, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical pursuits like sports or the physical requirements of your work harder, but it can also impede basic tasks writing. Our Farmington, 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 Farmington and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our substantial clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts allow us to effectively guide you in your rotator cuff injury recovery. Get in touch with a 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 suffer a rotator cuff tear. If you have sustained 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, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Farmington, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will build a bespoke, evidence-based therapy program to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.
The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Farmington, MO
The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that holds the top of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. Besides keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff permits you to lift and rotate your arm. For any physical task requiring usage of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles function in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift or move the upper extremity. It’s the teamwork between the rotator cuff and the larger, more powerful muscles, along with the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that allow us the substantial scope of motion in the shoulder. The rotator cuff consists of:
- The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that keeps the humerus in place and is responsible for lifting your arm.
- The infraspinatus is a thick triangle-shaped muscle behind the shoulder which assists with rotation and extension of the shoulder.
- The teres minor is a narrow muscle that works in tandem with the infraspinatus to move your arm to the side and keep the arm in place during rotation.
- The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the strongest 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 with an injured rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff requires balanced strength and control in all four muscles in order to properly rotate, elevate, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Farmington, 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
Rotator cuff injuries are either caused by acute trauma or chronic degeneration. Trauma can happen when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too far. Degeneration transpires due to overuse or standard 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 Farmington, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to guide you as you recover.
Rotator cuff injuries fall into 1 of the 3 categories below:
- Rotator cuff tears are caused 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 the result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating 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.
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. The pain is centered in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy consistently happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often due to rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles bordering the shoulder.
- Impingement happens when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during specific arm motions. 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 safe and effective treatment. While some complete and partial tears of the rotator cuff may need surgery, a course of individualized physical therapy with a highly-trained physical therapist can assuage symptoms and improve function significantly. Our Farmington, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will create a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or carrying out basic everyday tasks like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.
Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Farmington, 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 happens when you sustain a specific injury. You may have fallen on your overstretched arm. They can also be caused by other structural damage, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
- Degenerative Tears — These are also referred to as chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
- Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. This can take place when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—like baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your occupation requires you to carry out a specific motion over and over.
- Lack of Blood Supply — As we get older our body supplies less blood to our rotator cuff, making it 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 . After a while, the bone can irritate a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, leading it to fray and tear.
Age is the most recognized risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; most rotator cuff tears are because of the general wear and tear our bodies experience over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common causes for Farmington, MO young people.
Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms
You may not always experience symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause instant pain, but other times the symptoms are harder to notice. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:
- Difficulty raising your arm
- Pain or soreness when carrying out certain shoulder movements
- 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 certain arm motions
- Inability to lift things you can usually lift
If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Farmington, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work together 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 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 heal – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the expertise and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s lifting 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 method of treatment is in Farmington, MO. In the majority of cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help improve the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, and eventually get you back to the activities you love. You may also get anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help decrease pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears where the tendon is wholly torn or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. 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 alongside you to design an evidence-based, tailored plan to get you back to what you love doing, 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:
- 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 Farmington, MO
Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because of an injury or of degeneration over time, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from professional and compassionate physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively guide you in your recovery. Every rotator cuff tear is unique, and at Axes Physical Therapy we design 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 recover from your rotator cuff tear, and we can’t wait to see 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.
