Rotator Cuff Tear in Old Jamestown, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical activities like sports or the physical demands of your job harder, but it can also hamper basic tasks reaching for something on the top shelf. Our Old Jamestown, 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 Old Jamestown and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as motion experts allow us to effectively shepherd you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Start working with a dedicated physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or learn 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. More than two million people each year nationwide 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, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Old Jamestown, 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 Old Jamestown, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. In addition to keeping your shoulder from falling out of place, the rotator cuff permits you to lift and rotate your arm. For any functional activity requiring maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature operate in tandem with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift 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 proportionately small muscle that keeps the humerus in place and is responsible for lifting your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a deep triangle-shaped muscle behind the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a thin muscle that works in tandem with 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 forceful 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 without a healthy 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 have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Old Jamestown, 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

The two principal causes of rotator cuff injuries are acute trauma or gradual degeneration. Trauma can transpire when you fall on your shoulder or overstretch your arm. Degeneration takes place owing to overuse or general weakening of the muscles and tendons as you age. Whatever type of pain or injury you are having in your shoulder, the Old Jamestown, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to lead you as you recover.

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

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused because of trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear totally separates the tendon from the bone. Generally, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which damages the tendon but does not completely separate it from the bone. They can take place because of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating every day motions over time like throwing. They begin with fraying and after some 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), happens when one of the tendons is inflamed or otherwise irritated. The pain is centered in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy consistently 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 surrounding the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. 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 safe and effective treatment. 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 assuage symptoms and better function considerably. Our Old Jamestown, 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 swimming, painting your walls, or carrying out basic daily tasks like pouring a cup of coffee pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Old Jamestown, 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 fell on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, for example a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called 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 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 Supply — As we age our body carries less blood to our rotator cuff, meaning it is more difficult for the body to heal small tears, which can lead to larger tears. The rotator cuff is infamous for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — Bone overgrowth can also happen as we age, and bone spurs can frequently occur on the underside of the acromion, which acts as the roof of your shoulder . Bone spurs can lead to impingement, which in turn leads to rotator cuff tears.

Aging is the most recognized risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; the majority of rotator cuff tears are the result of the usual wear and tear our bodies experience over time, and are most common in people over the age of 40. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common causes for Old Jamestown, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always exhibit symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause instant pain, but other times the symptoms are harder to notice. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Trouble raising 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
• Clicking, grating, or popping sensations, especially when associated with specific motions
• Inability to lift things you can normally lift

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you call a medical professional such as the Old Jamestown, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work together with your doctor 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 means of having your shoulder evaluated. Early evaluation and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to wholly recover from – or arthritis, which can cause 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 picking up 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 asking yourself what the best method of treatment is in Old Jamestown, MO. Usually, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help ameliorate 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 cases where the tendon is totally torn or if the tear refuses to heal with more conservative care. 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 alongside you to create an evidence-based, personalized plan to get you back to the activities you love, free from the pain and 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 Old Jamestown, 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 entirely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from experienced and compassionate physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully shepherd you as you heal. 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 recover 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 as you leave. 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.