Rotator Cuff Tear in Green Park, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical requirements of your work tougher, but it can also disrupt daily activities driving a car. Our Green Park, 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 Green Park and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our wide-ranging clinical expertise, proven practices, and background as movement experts equip us to successfully lead you in your rotator cuff injury recovery. Reach out to 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 be the result of trauma or overuse over time. Over two million people every year in the United States suffer a rotator cuff tear. If you have experienced a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are just looking for enduring and meaningful pain relief, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Green Park, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will implement a tailored, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Green Park, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the top of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. As well as keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff lets you raise your arm and elevate it above your head. For any functional task requiring maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles work in tandem with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper extremity. It’s the collaboration between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, combined with the bony anatomy of the shoulder, that permits us the large range of movement in the shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up of:

1. The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that stabilizes the head of your humerus and helps you raise your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a thick triangle-shaped muscle behind the shoulder which assists with revolution and extension of the shoulder.
3. The teres minor is a slender muscle that works in tandem with the infraspinatus to extend your arm outward and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the strongest of the rotator cuff muscles. It permits you to rotate your shoulder towards your body, 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 has balanced strength and control in all four muscles in order to correctly rotate, lift, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you’re experiencing pain or limited motion in your shoulder, come see Axes for a free injury screening.

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

The two leading causes of rotator cuff injuries are acute trauma or chronic degeneration. Trauma can transpire when you lift a heavy object 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 having in your shoulder, the Green Park, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you in your treatment.

Rotator cuff injuries fall into 1 of the 3 categories below:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused by trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear entirely separates the tendon from the bone. Most often, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which hurts the tendon but does not totally separate it from the bone. They can be caused by trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive day-to-day motions over time like throwing. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears do not have symptoms with many people not knowing that they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a minor injury.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. The pain is located 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 due to weakness or incorrect technique.
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.

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-knowledgeable physical therapist can lessen symptoms and improve function considerably. Our Green Park, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will build a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or conducting necessary daily activities like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Green Park, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This kind of rotator cuff tear occurs when you suffer a blunt force injury. Maybe you fell on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called chronic rotator cuff tears. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can occur when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—for example baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your occupation requires you to perform a certain motion over and over.
  • 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 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 . 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; the majority of rotator cuff tears are caused by the usual wear and tear our bodies are subjected to over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Younger people with rotator cuff tears normally acquire them through acute trauma. Green Park, 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 exhibit symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause instant pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more difficult to note. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness with 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 usually lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Green Park, 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. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective means of having your shoulder analyzed. Early evaluation and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to completely heal – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the know-how and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s lifting 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 most effective means of treatment is in Green Park, MO. Most of the time, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help assuage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also be given anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help decrease pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with complete tears or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. The expert physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and determine the best treatment plan for you. We will work alongside you to make 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 Green Park, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because of an injury or of weakening over time, you won’t be able to completely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from experienced and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully lead you as you heal. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, 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 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.