Rotator Cuff Tear in Town and Country, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical pursuits like sports or the physical requirements of your work more difficult, but it can also impede daily activities reaching for something on the top shelf. Our Town and Country, 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 get you back to full strength and mobility – pain free. Fill out our online form or schedule an appointment today to get started with healing your rotator cuff injury.

Our locally owned and operated network of physical therapy clinics throughout Town and Country, MO and Missouri is led by physical and occupational therapists who have devoted their lives to assisting individuals like you in the Town and Country, MO area achieve the mobility and physical wellness you desire. Our substantial clinical expertise, proven treatment plans, and background as movement experts equip us to effectively lead you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Begin treatment with a committed 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. More than two million people every year nationwide must visit a doctor or physical therapist because of rotator cuff tears. If a rotator cuff tear is keeping you from participating in the sports you once loved playing, or just making daily tasks difficult, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Town and Country, 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 Town and Country, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that maintains the stability and function between your humerus (upper arm bone) and shoulder. On top of helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff lets you lift and rotate your arm. For any functional task necessitating use of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles operate together with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to lift 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 the surrounding musculoskeletal structure of the shoulder. The rotator cuff contains:

1. The supraspinatus is a relatively small muscle that holds in place the head of your humerus and allows you to lift your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a deep triangular muscle on the back of the shoulder allows you to rotate and extend your arm.
3. The teres minor is a skinny muscle that works together with the infraspinatus to move 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 largest 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 have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Town and Country, 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 chief causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or gradual degeneration. Trauma can occur when you lift a heavy object or overstretch your arm. Degeneration occurs because of overuse or normal weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Regardless of what sort of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Town and Country, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to lead you as you recover.

There are three basic types 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 completely separates the tendon from the bone. Typically, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which injures the tendon but does not totally separate it from the bone. They can the result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating day-to-day motions over time like pitching. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. A small injury can frequently reveal a chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tear.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is inflammation, irritation or degeneration of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. Patients typically feel pain in the area surrounding the joint. Teninopathy consistently happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often due to rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles in the shoulder.
3. Impingement takes place 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 prelude to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three conditions can be treated successfully with conservative treatment such as physical therapy. While individualized physical therapy can reduce symptoms and improve function, Axes can also help you with pre- and post-surgical rehab if a full-thickness tear required surgery. Our Town and Country, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will implement a customized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to owning your local softball league, painting your walls, or conducting basic everyday tasks like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Town and Country, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

A rotator cuff tear can be classified as one of the following:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear transpires when you experience a specific injury. Maybe you tried to lift something too heavy. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, like a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called chronic rotator cuff tears. Associated risk factors include:
  • Repetitive Activities — Repeating the same shoulder movements over time can cause tendons to fray and tear. This can happen when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—like baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your occupation requires you to carry out a specific motion repeatedly.
  • 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 well known for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — Bone overgrowth can also occur as we become older, and bone spurs can frequently 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.

Age is the most recognized risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; most rotator cuff tears are because of the standard wear and tear our bodies undergo over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common causes for Town and Country, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

You may not always feel a rotator cuff tear, especially if it occurs slowly over time. Acute tears normally cause instantaneous pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more difficult to note. There are some typical rotator cuff tear symptoms to be aware of:

• Difficulty lifting your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out certain shoulder movements
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly 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 normally lift

If you’re experiencing symptoms, delaying treatment with Town and Country, MO physical and occupational therapists could make the injury worse. We will work in tandem with your physician to coordinate a plan for your recovery. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective method to have your shoulder examined. Early diagnosis and treatment goes a long way in preventing a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally heal – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the knowledge and skill to return you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s raising 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 means of treatment is in Town and Country, MO. In most cases, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be enough to help improve 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 limit 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 analyze your condition and implement the best treatment plan for you. We will work alongside you to make an evidence-based, tailored 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 Town and Country, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because 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 expert and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively guide you in your recovery. Each rotator cuff tear is different, and at Axes Physical Therapy we build a customized 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 can’t wait to see 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.