Rotator Cuff Tear in Labarque Creek, 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 disrupt basic activities like brushing your teeth. Our Labarque Creek, 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 Labarque Creek and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, proven practices, and background as motion experts allow us to effectively guide you in your rotator cuff injury recovery. Start treatment with a devoted 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 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 every year in the United States suffer a rotator cuff tear. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are simply looking for lasting and meaningful pain relief, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Labarque Creek, 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 Labarque Creek, 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 helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff helps you control the movement of your arm. For any functional endeavor necessitating use of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles operate alongside other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to raise or move the upper extremity. It’s the synergy between the rotator cuff and the larger, stronger muscles, combined with the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that permits us the great amount of motion in the shoulder. The 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately small muscle that balances the head of your humerus and allows you to raise your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a deep triangular muscle on the back of the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a thin muscle that works together with the infraspinatus to extend your arm away from your body and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the largest of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

Moving your arm or shoulder with an injured rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff has equal strength and control in order to have full range of motion. If you’re experiencing pain or limited motion in your shoulder, come see Axes for a free injury screening.

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injuries are either caused by sudden injuries or chronic degeneration. Trauma can happen when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration transpires due to overuse or normal weakening of the muscles and tendons with age. Whatever kind of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Labarque Creek, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you as you heal.

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 totally separates the tendon from the bone. Normally, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which injures the tendon but does not entirely separate it from the bone. They can transpire as a result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating day-to-day movements over time like repeatedly lifting heavy objects. 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 just outside the joint. Teninopathy often happens to people who frequently lift their arms overhead, whether in sports or as part of their job. The irritation is often due to rotator cuff weakness, poor posture, and weakness of the muscles surrounding the shoulder.
3. Impingement happens when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during certain arm movements. Typically the result of 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 safe and effective treatment. 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 Labarque Creek, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will design a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to dominating your local pick-up basketball league, painting your walls, or conducting necessary daily tasks like pouring a cup of coffee pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Labarque Creek, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This sort of rotator cuff tear occurs when you experience trauma. Maybe you fell 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 known as chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • 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—including baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job requires you to carry out a specific 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 lead to larger tears. 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 become older. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries generally sustain them through acute trauma. Labarque Creek, 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 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 harder to note. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness with specific shoulder movements
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the injured shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Clicking, grating, or popping sensations, especially when associated with specific motions
• Inability to lift things you can usually lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Labarque Creek, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work together with your doctor to coordinate a plan for your recovery. 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 totally heal – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the expertise and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s raising your grandkids 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 form of treatment is in Labarque Creek, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help manage the symptoms, encourage the body’s natural healing process, 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. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with complete tears or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. The expert physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to evaluate your condition and determine the best treatment plan for you. We will work with you to build 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:

• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment

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

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of wear and tear over time, you won’t be able to completely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from knowledgeable and compassionate physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively shepherd you in your recovery. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we build a personalized 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 on your way out. 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.