Rotator Cuff Tear in Howell, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical pursuits like sports or the physical demands of your job more painful, but it can also affect every day activities driving a car. Our Howell, 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 on your road to recovery.

Our locally owned and operated network of physical therapy clinics throughout Howell, MO and Missouri is run by physical and occupational therapists who have dedicated their lives to assisting individuals like you in the Howell, MO area achieve the mobility and physical well-being you want. Our wide-ranging clinical expertise, evidence-based practices, and background as motion experts equip us to effectively shepherd you in heal your rotator cuff injury. Start treatment with a dedicated 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. More than 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, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Howell, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will build a bespoke, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Howell, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is proportionately shallow. On top of keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff lets you control the movement of your arm. For any physical activity needing usage of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature work in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to raise 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 larger shoulder muscles and the skeletal anatomy of 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 triangle-shaped muscle on the back of the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a narrow muscle that works in tandem with the infraspinatus to rotate your arm outward and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the most sizable of the rotator cuff muscles. It permits you to rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and lower your arm.

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 correctly rotate, lift, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Howell, 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 transpire when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration happens due to overuse or typical weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Regardless of what sort of pain or injury you are having in your shoulder, the Howell, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to empower you as you recover.

There are three principal kinds of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused by 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 every day movements over time like throwing. They start with fraying and in time tear. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears are asymptomatic with many people not knowing that they have them. A small injury can regularly reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is swelling, 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 consistently happens to people who frequently lift their arms overhead, whether in sports or as part of their job. The irritation is often the result of rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles surrounding the shoulder.
3. Impingement takes place when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during specific arm movements. Normally the result of overhead activities. Impingement syndrome can be a prelude 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 better function considerably. Our Howell, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a customized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to dominating your neighborhood pick-up basketball league, painting your walls, or conducting basic everyday tasks like brushing your teeth with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Howell, 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 takes place when you experience trauma. You may have fallen 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 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 movements over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. These are common in sports like swimming and baseball, or jobs that require repeated overhead lifting.
  • 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 — Bone overgrowth can also occur as we age, and bone spurs can often occur on the underside of the acromion, which serves as the roof of your shoulder . Over time, the bone can irritate a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, leading it to fray and tear.

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 become older. Younger people with rotator cuff tears frequently sustain them through acute trauma. Howell, 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 feel a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it happens slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause instantaneous pain, but other times the symptoms are more subtle. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness with certain 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 specific arm movements
• Inability to lift things you can normally lift

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s essential that you reach out to a medical professional such as the Howell, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. 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 examination and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to wholly 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 grandchildren 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 asking yourself what the best form of treatment is in Howell, MO. Usually, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help manage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also receive anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help manage pain. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears where the tendon is wholly torn or if rest and physical therapy have not been successful. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and implement the best treatment method for you. We will work with you to create an evidence-based, customized 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:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

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

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of weakening over time, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from experienced and compassionate 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 create a personalized 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 choosing the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.