Rotator Cuff Tear in Liguori, MO. A rotator cuff tear not only keep you from the things you love, but can make day-to-day life debilitating. Our Liguori, 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 Liguori and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our comprehensive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts equip us to successfully guide you in your rotator cuff injury recovery. Get in touch with 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 a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from playing your favorite sport, or just making daily tasks painful, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Liguori, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will develop a tailored, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Liguori, 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. Besides keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff permits you to lift and rotate your arm. For any functional endeavor necessitating usage of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature function in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to raise or move the upper extremity. 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 thick triangular muscle behind 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 rotate your arm to the side and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the biggest of the rotator cuff muscles. It helps you rotate your shoulder towards your body, 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 has balanced strength and control in all four muscles in order to adequately rotate, elevate, 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

Rotator cuff injuries are either caused by sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can happen when you fall on your shoulder or overstretch your arm. Degeneration takes place due to overuse or customary weakening of the muscles and tendons as you age. No matter what sort of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Liguori, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to guide you as you heal.

There are three basic kinds of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused because of 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 be caused by trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repetitive daily motions over time like repeatedly lifting heavy objects. They begin with fraying and in time tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know 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 weakening of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. The pain is located in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy regularly happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often the result of rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles around the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Generally 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 an experienced physical therapist can decrease symptoms and improve function remarkably. Our Liguori, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a tailored 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 performing necessary daily activities like pouring a cup of coffee pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Liguori, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This kind of rotator cuff tear happens when you suffer trauma. Maybe you attempted to lift something you shoulder could not support. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also referred to as chronic rotator cuff tears. Some common risk factors are:
  • Repetitive Activities — 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 become older, and bone spurs can frequently occur on the underside of the acromion, which serves as the roof of your shoulder . 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 go through life. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries generally develop them through acute trauma. Liguori, 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 have symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it develops slowly over time. Acute tears normally cause immediate pain, but other times the symptoms are more difficult to notice. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to be aware of:

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness with certain shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the injured 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 Liguori, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work in tandem with your doctor to coordinate a plan for your treatment. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective means of having your shoulder examined. Early diagnosis and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to wholly heal – or arthritis, which can result in chronic pain and damage to your shoulder joint. We have the knowledge and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s picking up 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 successful means of treatment is in Liguori, MO. In the majority of cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be adequate to help improve 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. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with complete tears or if rest and physical therapy have not been successful. The professional physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to analyze your condition and implement the best treatment plan for you. We will work with you to design 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:

• 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 Liguori, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear happened 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 expert and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully shepherd you in your recovery. Every rotator cuff tear is different, and at Axes Physical Therapy we create 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 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 closest to you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.