Rotator Cuff Tear in Grantwood Village, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical demands of your job tougher, but it can also hamper every day tasks pouring a cup of coffee. Our Grantwood Village, 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 on your road to recovery.

All of our physical therapy clinics in Grantwood Village and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our extensive clinical expertise, proven treatment plans, and background as movement experts permit us to effectively lead you in heal your rotator cuff injury. Reach out to a physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or discover more about the location most convenient for you.

A rotator cuff tear can be the result of trauma or overuse over time. 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 difficult, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Grantwood Village, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will implement a personalized, evidence-based therapy program to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Grantwood Village, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that maintains the stability and function between your humerus (upper arm bone) and shoulder. Besides helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff permits you to lift and rotate your arm. For any functional endeavor needing usage of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature function in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift or move the upper limb. It’s the teamwork between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, combined with the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that allow us the great range of motion in the shoulder. The 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

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 which aids rotation and extension of the shoulder.
3. The teres minor is a narrow muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to rotate your arm away from your body and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the largest 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 without a healthy rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff requires equal strength and control in order to have optimal range of motion. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Grantwood Village, 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 sudden injuries or chronic degeneration. Trauma can take place when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration takes place due to overuse or standard weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Regardless of what sort of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Grantwood Village, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to lead you as you recover.

There are three main types 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 completely separates the tendon from the bone. Generally, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which damages the tendon but does not entirely separate it from the bone. They can transpire because of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating day-to-day motions over time like throwing. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears are asymptomatic with many people living with them unknowingly. A small injury can often reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. Patients typically feel pain in the area surrounding the joint. Teninopathy often happens to people who frequently lift their arms overhead, whether in sports or in their occupation. The irritation is often because of weakness or incorrect posture.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Often caused by repetitive shoulder activities, injury, or age. Impingement syndrome can later lead to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three conditions can be treated successfully with conservative treatment such as 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 Grantwood Village, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to owning your local softball league, painting your walls, or conducting basic daily tasks like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Grantwood Village, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This sort of rotator cuff tear happens when you suffer trauma. Maybe you attempted to lift something too heavy. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, like a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also called chronic rotator cuff tears. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can transpire when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—for example baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job requires you to carry out a certain motion repeatedly.
  • Lack of Blood Supply — As we age our body carries less blood to our rotator cuff, making it harder for the body to heal small tears, which can result in 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 . Over time, the bone can rub against 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; most rotator cuff tears are due to the usual wear and tear our bodies undergo over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries generally develop them through acute trauma. Grantwood Village, MO residents who work in certain occupations, 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, particularly if it happens slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause instantaneous pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more difficult to notice. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out certain shoulder movements
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Hearing or feeling clicking, grating, or popping with certain arm motions
• Inability to lift things you can normally lift

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you reach out to a medical professional such as the Grantwood Village, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work together 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 a simple, cost-effective means of having your shoulder examined. Early evaluation 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 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 picking up your grandchildren over your head or serving an ace.

Treatments for a Rotator Cuff Tear

If you have been diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, you may be uncertain as to what the best form of treatment is in Grantwood Village, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be adequate to help manage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, 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. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in cases with complete tears or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to evaluate your condition and determine the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to create an evidence-based, personalized plan to get you back to the activities you love, 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 Grantwood Village, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured 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 experienced and caring 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 build 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 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.