Rotator Cuff Tear in Festus, 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 hamper every day activities like brushing your teeth. Our Festus, 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 Festus and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our comprehensive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts allow us to effectively guide you in heal your rotator cuff tear. 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 each year in the United States suffer a rotator cuff tear. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from playing the sports you once loved playing, or just making daily tasks painful, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Festus, 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 Festus, 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 keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff lets you lift and rotate your arm. For any physical task needing maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature operate in tandem 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 the surrounding musculoskeletal structure of the shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up 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 deep triangle-shaped muscle on the back of the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
- The teres minor is a thin muscle that works in concert with the infraspinatus to rotate your arm outward and keep the arm in place during rotation.
- The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the biggest of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder towards your body, as well as straighten and lower your arm.
The rotator cuff is crucial in basically every kind of shoulder movement. A healthy rotator cuff requires equal 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 Festus, 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 basic causes of rotator cuff injuries are acute trauma or chronic degeneration. Trauma can happen when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration transpires because of overuse or standard weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Regardless of what kind of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Festus, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to lead you as you heal.
There are three basic kinds of rotator cuff injuries:
- Rotator cuff tears happen 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 hurts the tendon but does not entirely separate it from the bone. They can the result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive daily motions over time like swimming. They start with fraying and after some time tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a mild injury.
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is inflammation, irritation or weakening 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 because of weakness or incorrect technique.
- Impingement takes place when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during certain arm motions. Generally occurring with overhead activities. 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 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 ameliorate function significantly. Our Festus, 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 owning your neighborhood pick-up basketball league, painting your walls, or conducting necessary everyday tasks like pouring a cup of coffee pain-free.
Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Festus, MO
Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors
A rotator cuff tear can be categorized as one of the following:
- Acute Tears — This sort of rotator cuff tear happens when you experience 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. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
- Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can transpire when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—such as baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your work requires you to carry out a specific motion repeatedly.
- Lack of Blood Flow — 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 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 generally develop them through acute trauma. Festus, 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 experience symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it happens slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause instantaneous pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:
- Trouble lifting 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 usually lift
If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Festus, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work in tandem with your physician to come up with a game plan that will safely and successfully get you back to the activities you love. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective method to have your shoulder evaluated. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to entirely recover from – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the know-how and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s lifting 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 form of treatment is in Festus, MO. Usually, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help manage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, and eventually get you back to the activities you love. If the pain is severely debilitating, a physician make recommend anti-inflammatory medicine or injections. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with complete tears 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 determine the best treatment plan for you. We will work with you to make an evidence-based, customized 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 Festus, MO
Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of weakening over time, you won’t be able to entirely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from experienced and empathetic physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully guide you as you heal. Each rotator cuff tear is unique, and at Axes Physical Therapy we create 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 look forward to seeing you once again able to high-five your clinical team on your way out. Contact us today by selecting the location closest to you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.
