Rotator Cuff Tear in Parkway, MO. A rotator cuff tear not only keep you from the things you love, but can make day-to-day life debilitating. Our Parkway, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a bespoke 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 Parkway, MO and Missouri is managed by physical and occupational therapists who have devoted their lives to aiding individuals like you in the Parkway, MO area achieve the mobility and physical health you want. Our substantial clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as motion experts permit us to successfully lead 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 each year nationwide must see a doctor or physical therapist owing to rotator cuff tears. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from playing the sports you once loved playing, or just making daily tasks painful, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Parkway, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will implement a personalized, evidence-based therapy program to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Parkway, 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 proportionately shallow. As well as helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff allows you to raise your arm and elevate it over your head. For any functional endeavor necessitating maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature function in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper extremity. It’s the collaboration between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, along with the skeletal anatomy of the shoulder, that enables the large range of movement in the shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up of:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately small muscle that balances the head of your humerus and helps you elevate your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a thick triangular muscle behind the shoulder which helps with rotation and extension of the shoulder.
3. The teres minor is a slender muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to extend your arm to the side 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 helps you rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

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 all four muscles in order to properly rotate, elevate, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Parkway, 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 sudden injuries or chronic degeneration. Trauma can take place when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration takes place because of 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 Parkway, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you in your treatment.

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 wholly separates the tendon from the bone. Typically, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which injures the tendon but does not wholly separate it from the bone. They can occur because of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating every day movements over time like throwing. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a minor injury.
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 surrounding the joint. Teninopathy often happens to people who frequently lift their arms overhead, whether in sports or in their occupation. The irritation is often the result of rotator cuff weakness, poor posture, and weakness of the muscles bordering the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Usually occurring with 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 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 significantly. Our Parkway, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will design a customized 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 carrying out basic everyday tasks like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Parkway, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear takes place when you sustain a specific injury. Maybe you tried to lift something too heavy. Acute tears can also occur with 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. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can take place when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—including baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your work requires you to perform a certain motion repetitively.
  • 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 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 . After a while, the bone can irritate a tendon, resulting in rotator cuff impingement, causing 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 go through life. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries normally develop them through acute trauma. Parkway, 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 typically cause immediate pain, but sometimes the symptoms are harder to notice. There are some common rotator cuff tear symptoms to be aware of:

• Difficulty raising your arm
• Pain or soreness with certain shoulder movements
• 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 certain arm motions
• Inability to lift things you can typically lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Parkway, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work in concert 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 an easy, cost-effective means of having your shoulder analyzed. Early examination and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally recover from – or arthritis, which can lead to chronic pain and injury 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 lifting your grandkids 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 method of treatment is in Parkway, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be adequate 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. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in cases with full-thickness tears or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. The professional physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and determine the best treatment plan for you. We will work alongside you to make an evidence-based, customized plan to get you back to what you love doing, 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 Parkway, 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 experienced and empathetic physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively lead 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 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.