Rotator Cuff Tear in Hematite, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical pursuits like sports or the physical requirements of your work more difficult, but it can also affect every day tasks pouring a cup of coffee. Our Hematite, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a personalized treatment plan that will safely return you to full strength and mobility – pain free. Fill out our online form or schedule an appointment today to get started with healing your rotator cuff injury.

Our locally owned and operated network of physical therapy clinics throughout Hematite, MO and Missouri is managed by physical and occupational therapists who have dedicated their lives to assisting individuals like you in the Hematite, MO area achieve the mobility and physical well-being you wish for. Our substantial clinical expertise, evidence-based practices, and background as movement experts permit us to successfully lead you in heal your rotator cuff injury. Start working with a devoted 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, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Hematite, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will design a bespoke, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Hematite, 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 keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff helps you raise your arm and elevate it over your head. For any physical endeavor needing use of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature work together with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift or move the upper limb. It’s the collaboration between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, as well as the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that enables the large range of motion in the shoulder. The 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately small muscle that holds in place the head of your humerus and allows you to elevate your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a thick triangle-shaped 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 rotate your arm to the side and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the most powerful of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you 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 order to have optimal range of motion. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Hematite, 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 gradual degeneration. Trauma can happen when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too far. Degeneration takes place owing to overuse or standard weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Whatever type of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Hematite, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to lead you in your treatment.

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

1. Rotator cuff tears occur as a result 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 damages the tendon but does not completely separate it from the bone. They can be caused by trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating every day movements over time like swimming. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears are asymptomatic with many people not knowing that they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a mild injury.
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 often happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often caused by rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles bordering the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Normally the result of overhead activities. Impingement syndrome can be a precursor 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 decrease symptoms and improve function remarkably. Our Hematite, 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 swimming, painting your walls, or performing basic daily tasks like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Hematite, 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 experience trauma. Maybe you tried to lift something you shoulder could not support. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, like a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also referred to as chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can happen when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—including baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job 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 — Bone overgrowth can also happen as we become older, and bone spurs can often occur on the underside of the acromion, which serves as the roof of your shoulder . After a while, the bone can rub against a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, leading it to fray and tear.

Aging is the most understood risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; the majority of rotator cuff tears are caused by 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 causes for Hematite, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always feel symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause instantaneous pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more difficult to notice. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to be aware of:

• Trouble lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness when performing specific shoulder motions
• 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’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Hematite, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work together with your physician 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 method to have your shoulder analyzed. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to entirely heal – or arthritis, which can result in chronic pain and injury to your shoulder joint. We have the know-how and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s raising your grandchildren 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 asking yourself what the best means of treatment is in Hematite, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help assuage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, and eventually get you back to the activities you love. You may also be given anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help reduce pain. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in cases 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 implement the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to make 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:

• Shoulder Pain
• Injury Prevention
• Mobility
• Knee Injury
• Joint Pain
• Sciatica
• Dry Needling
• ACL Tear
• Pain Management

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Hematite, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because of an injury or of degeneration over time, you won’t be able to entirely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from professional 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 recover your movement health and help you heal 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 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.