Rotator Cuff Tear in St. Louis, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical demands of your job tougher, but it can also affect every day tasks like brushing your teeth. Our St. Louis, MO team of physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy will work to treat your rotator cuff tear with a personalized 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 St. Louis and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our comprehensive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as motion experts equip us to successfully shepherd you in heal your rotator cuff injury. Reach out to a physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or discover 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 every year nationwide must visit a doctor or physical therapist because of rotator cuff tears. If you have suffered a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are only looking for enduring and meaningful pain relief, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our St. Louis, 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 St. Louis, 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. As well as keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff lets you raise your arm and elevate it over your head. For any physical task requiring maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles function alongside 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 the surrounding musculoskeletal structure 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 on the back of the shoulder which aids revolution and extension of the shoulder.
3. The teres minor is a slender muscle that works alongside the infraspinatus to rotate your arm outward and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangle-shaped muscle that is the strongest of the rotator cuff muscles. It permits you to rotate your shoulder towards your body, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

The rotator cuff is essential in basically every kind of shoulder movement. A healthy rotator cuff requires 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 St. Louis, 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 transpire when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration happens because of overuse or general weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Whatever type of pain or injury you are having in your shoulder, the St. Louis, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you as you heal.

There are three main kinds of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused by trauma or can be more chronic in nature. A complete, or full-thickness, rotator cuff tear totally separates the tendon from the bone. Most often, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which hurts the tendon but does not totally separate it from the bone. They can happen because of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating day-to-day movements over time like throwing. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears are asymptomatic with many people not knowing that they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a mild injury.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is inflammation, irritation or weakening of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. The pain occurs 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, poor posture, and weakness of the muscles bordering the shoulder.
3. Impingement takes place when the tendon of the rotator cuff becomes “impinged” during specific arm motions. Usually 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 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 decrease symptoms and better function remarkably. Our St. Louis, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a personalized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or performing necessary everyday activities like brushing your teeth pain-free.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy St. Louis, 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 sustain a specific injury. You may have fallen on your overstretched arm. Acute tears can also occur with other injuries to the shoulder, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can occur when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—such as baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your occupation requires you to carry out a certain motion over and over.
  • 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 infamous for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — Bone overgrowth can also occur as we get older, and bone spurs can often occur on the underside of the acromion, which serves as the roof of your shoulder . Over time, the bone can rub against 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 become older. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common risks for St. Louis, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always show symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause instantaneous pain, but occasionally the symptoms are harder to notice. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness with specific shoulder motions
• Pain at night or when resting, especially if you’re lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Clicking, grating, or popping sensations, especially when associated with specific motions
• Inability to lift things you can typically lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with St. Louis, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. 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. Going to any of our locations for a free injury screening is a simple, cost-effective means of having your shoulder examined. Early examination and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to wholly heal – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the expertise and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s lifting 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 wondering what the best method of treatment is in St. Louis, MO. Most of the time, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help assuage the symptoms, let your rotator cuff heal properly by itself, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. You may also get anti-inflammatory medicine or injections to help reduce pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in cases with full-thickness tears or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to assess your condition and determine the best treatment method for you. We will work with you to make an evidence-based, customized 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 St. Louis, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear is the result of an injury or of degeneration 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 effectively shepherd you in your recovery. Each rotator cuff tear is different, and at Axes Physical Therapy we create a tailored 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 can’t wait to see you once again able to high-five your clinical team on your way out. 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.