Rotator Cuff Tear in Town and Country, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical demands of your occupation more difficult, but it can also impede every day tasks pouring a cup of coffee. 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 tailored treatment plan that will safely get you back to full strength and mobility – free from pain. Fill out our online form or schedule an appointment today to get started with healing your rotator cuff injury.

All of our physical therapy clinics in Town and Country and throughout Missouri are owned and operated by physical therapists who have dedicated themselves to helping people feel pain-free again. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, proven treatment plans, and background as motion experts allow us to successfully guide you in your rotator cuff tear recovery. Reach out to 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. More than two million people each year nationwide must visit 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 challenging, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. We are the leading physical therapy team in Town and Country, MO, and our licensed physical therapists will build a personalized, evidence-based therapy treatment plan to guide you in your recovery from your rotator cuff tear.

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. In addition to holding your shoulder in place, the rotator cuff lets you raise your arm and lift it above your head. For any physical endeavor requiring maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature operate in concert 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 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 relatively small muscle that balances the head of your humerus and allows you to lift your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a deep triangle-shaped muscle behind the shoulder which helps with revolution and extension of the shoulder.
3. The teres minor is a skinny muscle that works in concert with the infraspinatus to move your arm away from your body and hold the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the most sizable 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 with an injured 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 main causes of rotator cuff injuries are sudden injuries or chronic degeneration. Trauma can happen when you lift a heavy object or your arm is stretched too far. Degeneration takes place because of overuse or customary weakening of the muscles and tendons with age. Whatever sort of pain or injury you are feeling in your shoulder, the Town and Country, MO rotator cuff experts at Axes physical are here to lead you in your recovery.

There are three main kinds of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears are caused by trauma or can be more chronic in nature. The most common tear is a partial tear, which damages a tendon, while a full-thickness tear completely separates a tendon from the bone. They can occur as a result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating every day movements over time like repeatedly lifting heavy objects. They begin with fraying and ultimately tear. Many chronic, partial thickness rotator cuff tears do not have symptoms with many people not knowing that they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a minor injury.
2. Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis or tendinosis), is swelling, irritation or degeneration 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 caused by rotator cuff weakness, incorrect posture, and weakness of the muscles around 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.

All three conditions can be treated effectively with conservative treatment like 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 create a tailored plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to owning your neighborhood softball league, painting your walls, or performing necessary everyday activities 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 kind of rotator cuff tear transpires when you sustain a blunt force injury. Maybe you tried to lift something you shoulder could not support. Acute tears can also accompany other injuries to the shoulder, for example a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also called 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 lead to tendons fraying and tearing. This can take place when you play a sport or engage in an activity frequently—for example baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your job requires you to perform a certain motion over and over.
  • Lack of Blood Supply — As we get older our body sends less blood to our rotator cuff, making it harder for the body to heal small tears, which can cause larger tears. The rotator cuff is well known for its poor blood supply.
  • Bone Spurs — The acromion, the bony tip on the outer edge of your shoulder blade, is prone to overgrowth . Bone spurs can lead to impingement, which in turn leads to rotator cuff tears.

Getting older is the most recognized risk factor for a rotator cuff tear; the majority of rotator cuff tears are caused by the general wear and tear our bodies are subjected to over time, and are most common in people over 40 years old. Younger people with rotator cuff injuries frequently acquire them through acute trauma. Town and Country, 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 exhibit symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, especially if it develops slowly over time. Acute tears typically cause immediate pain, but sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. There are some common rotator cuff tear symptoms to look out for:

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out certain shoulder movements
• Pain at night or when resting, especially if you’re lying on the affected shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Hearing or feeling clicking, grating, or popping with specific arm 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 concert with your physician 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 analyzed. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to totally heal – or arthritis, which can cause permanent pain and damage 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 raising your grandchildren over your head or swimming 400 meters.

Treatments for a Rotator Cuff Tear

If you have been diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, you may be uncertain as to what the most effective means of treatment is in Town and Country, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment practices such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help manage 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 manage pain. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in cases where the tendon is entirely torn or if the injury has failed to heal with conservative treatment. The licensed 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 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:

• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment
• Spine Specialist Near Me
• MCL Injury
• Shoulder Pain
• Injury Prevention

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Town and Country, 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 knowledgeable and compassionate physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully guide you in your recovery. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, and at Axes Physical Therapy we design 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 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.