Rotator Cuff Tear in New Melle, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical activities like sports or the physical requirements of your occupation harder, but it can also hinder every day activities reaching for something on the top shelf. Our New Melle, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a custom-made treatment plan that will safely return you to full strength and mobility – free from pain. 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 New Melle and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our extensive clinical expertise, proven practices, and background as movement experts permit us to successfully lead you in heal your rotator cuff injury. 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 each year nationwide suffer a rotator cuff tear. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from participating in the sports you once loved playing, or just making daily tasks challenging, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our New Melle, 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 New Melle, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that holds the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is proportionately shallow. In addition to holding your shoulder in place, the rotator cuff lets you raise your arm and elevate it above your head. For any physical endeavor requiring use of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles work together with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate 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 the surrounding musculoskeletal structure of the shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up of:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately small muscle that holds in place the head of your humerus and helps you elevate 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 narrow 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 triangle-shaped muscle that is the biggest of the rotator cuff muscles. It allows you to rotate your shoulder towards your body, as well as straighten and lower your arm.

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 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

The two principal causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can take place when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration occurs due to overuse or customary 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 New Melle, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to empower you in your recovery.

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. 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 every day movements over time like throwing. They start with fraying and ultimately tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a light injury.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. The pain is centered in the area surrounding the joint. Teninopathy frequently happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often caused by weakness or incorrect posture.
3. Impingement occurs when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during specific arm motions. Often caused by repetitive shoulder activities, injury, or age. 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 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 New Melle, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will make a tailored plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or performing necessary daily activities like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy New Melle, 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 happens when you suffer a specific injury. Maybe you tried to lift something too heavy. 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. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. These are common in sports like swimming and baseball, or jobs that require repeated overhead lifting.
  • Lack of Blood Supply — 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 often occur on the underside of the acromion, which acts as the roof of your shoulder . After a while, the bone can irritate a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, leading it to fray and tear.

Getting older is the best-known risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; the majority of rotator cuff tears are caused by the typical wear and tear our bodies experience over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Younger people with rotator cuff tears frequently acquire them through acute trauma. New Melle, 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 generally cause immediate pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to look out for:

• Trouble lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness when performing certain 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 experience any of these symptoms, it’s imperative that you reach out to a medical professional such as the New Melle, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work in concert with your doctor to coordinate a plan for your treatment. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is a simple, cost-effective means of having your shoulder examined. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to completely heal – or arthritis, which can lead to permanent 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 raising 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 successful method of treatment is in New Melle, MO. Most of the time, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help ameliorate the symptoms, encourage the body’s natural healing process, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also receive anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help reduce pain. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with full-thickness tears or if rest and physical therapy have not been successful. 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 with you to create an evidence-based, personalized 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:

• Back Pain Treatment
• 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

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy New Melle, 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 expert and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully lead you in your recovery. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we build 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 heal 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 closest to you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.