Rotator Cuff Tear in Schluersburg, MO. A rotator cuff tear not only keep you from the things you love, but can make day-to-day life debilitating. Our Schluersburg, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a tailored 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.

All of our physical therapy clinics in Schluersburg and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to securing positive patient outcomes. Our extensive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts allow us to successfully guide you in heal your rotator cuff injury. 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 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 each year in the United States must schedule a visit with a doctor or physical therapist due to rotator cuff tears. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from participating in your favorite sport, or just making daily tasks painful, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Schluersburg, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will implement a tailored, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

The Rotator Cuff | Axes Physical Therapy Schluersburg, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that holds the top of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. As well as helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff permits you to control the movement of your arm. For any physical task requiring use of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature operate alongside 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 proportionately small muscle that balances the head of your humerus and helps you lift 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 narrow muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to rotate your arm to the side and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped 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 move your arm downward.

Moving your arm or shoulder with an injured rotator cuff is painful if not impossible. A healthy rotator cuff requires balanced strength and control in order to have optimal range of motion. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Schluersburg, 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 acute trauma or gradual degeneration. Trauma can take place when you fall on your shoulder or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration transpires owing to overuse or customary weakening of the muscles and tendons as you age. Whatever type of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Schluersburg, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to empower you as you recover.

There are three basic sorts of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears take place because of trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear entirely separates the tendon from the bone. Typically, 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 motions over time like throwing. They begin with fraying and eventually tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. A small injury can often reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is inflammation, irritation or weakening of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. Patients typically feel pain in the area surrounding the joint. Teninopathy often happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often due to weakness or incorrect posture.
3. Impingement transpires when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during certain arm movements. Normally 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 a personalized treatment plan. 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 improve function remarkably. Our Schluersburg, 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 neighborhood softball league, painting your walls, or performing basic everyday activities like brushing your teeth with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Schluersburg, 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 experience trauma. You may have fallen on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also occur with other injuries to the shoulder, for example a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also referred to as chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. This can take place when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—such as baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your work requires you to perform a specific 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, leading it to fray and tear.

Getting older is the best-known risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; most rotator cuff tears are caused by the standard wear and tear our bodies experience over time, and are most common in people over the age of 40. Younger people with rotator cuff tears typically acquire them through acute trauma. Schluersburg, 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 happens slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause instantaneous pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to look out for:

• Trouble 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 specific arm movements
• Inability to lift things you can usually lift

If you exhibit any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you call a medical professional such as the Schluersburg, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. 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 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 lead to permanent pain and injury to your shoulder joint. We have the know-how and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s picking up 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 wondering what the most successful form of treatment is in Schluersburg, MO. Usually, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help improve the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly on its own, and eventually get you back to the activities you love. You may also be given anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help decrease pain. Fortunately, 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 assess your condition and determine the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to create an evidence-based, customized 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 Schluersburg, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of degeneration over time, you won’t be able to completely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from knowledgeable and empathetic physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively shepherd you as you heal. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we design 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 can’t wait to see you once again able to high-five your clinical team as you leave. 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.