Rotator Cuff Tear in Washington, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical ventures like sports or the physical requirements of your work more painful, but it can also hinder basic activities like brushing your teeth. Our Washington, 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 get you back to full strength and mobility – free from pain. 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 Washington, MO and Missouri is led by physical and occupational therapists who have dedicated their lives to helping individuals like you in the Washington, MO area achieve the mobility and physical health you require. Our exhaustive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as movement experts permit us to effectively lead you in heal your rotator cuff tear. Reach out to a physical therapist at Axes Physical Therapy today. Contact us now or learn 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 nationwide must visit a doctor or physical therapist owing to rotator cuff tears. If you have experienced a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are just looking for lasting and meaningful pain relief, make an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Washington, 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 Washington, MO

The rotator cuff is a set of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. On top of keeping your humerus in place, the rotator cuff allows you to raise your arm and elevate it above your head. For any physical activity necessitating maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff muscles work in concert with other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate 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 4 tendons and muscles in the rotator cuff are:

1. The supraspinatus is a proportionately small muscle that stabilizes the head of your humerus and permits you to lift your arm.
2. The infraspinatus is a thick 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 extend your arm to the side and keep the arm in place during rotation.
4. The subscapularis is a triangular muscle that is the largest of the rotator cuff muscles. It allows you to 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 equal strength and control in order to have optimal range of motion. If you’re experiencing pain or limited motion in your shoulder, come see Axes for a free injury screening.

Common Rotator Cuff Injuries

The two principal causes of rotator cuff injuries are acute trauma or gradual degeneration. Trauma can happen when you fall on your shoulder or overstretch your arm. Degeneration transpires due to overuse or typical weakening of the muscles and tendons as you age. Whatever sort of pain or injury you are experiencing in your shoulder, the Washington, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to empower you as you heal.

There are three main sorts of rotator cuff injuries:

1. Rotator cuff tears occur 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. Normally, a rotator cuff tear is a partial tear, which hurts the tendon but does not wholly separate it from the bone. They can be caused by trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating day-to-day motions over time like throwing. They start with fraying and after some time tear. Often, people with partial tears do not know they have them. Some chronic degeneration tears are only noticed after a mild 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 because of rotator cuff weakness, improper posture, and weakness of the muscles in 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 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 an experienced physical therapist can assuage symptoms and ameliorate function significantly. Our Washington, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will design a tailored plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to swimming, painting your walls, or carrying out basic everyday activities like brushing your teeth with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Washington, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear happens when you experience trauma. Maybe you attempted to lift something you shoulder could not support. They can also be caused by other structural damage, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These can also be called chronic rotator cuff tears. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • 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—including baseball, swimming, or weight lifting — or when your work requires you to perform a certain motion over and over.
  • Lack of Blood Flow — As we age our body carries 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 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; the majority of rotator cuff tears are because of the general 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 generally acquire them through acute trauma. Washington, 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 experience symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, particularly if it happens slowly over time. Acute tears generally cause immediate pain, but occasionally the symptoms are more subtle. Signs you might have a rotator cuff tear include:

• Difficulty elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness when carrying out 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 have any of these symptoms, it’s imperative that you contact a medical professional such as the Washington, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. 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. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is a simple, cost-effective method to have your shoulder analyzed. Early examination 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 will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the know-how and skill to get you safely back to what you do and love best, whether it’s lifting your grandchildren 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 uncertain as to what the most effective method of treatment is in Washington, MO. In the majority of cases, 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 the activities you love. If the pain is severely debilitating, a physician make recommend anti-inflammatory medicine or injections. Fortunately, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears 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 analyze your condition and implement the best treatment method for you. We will work alongside you to build 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 Washington, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because 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 expert and caring physical and occupational therapists who can safely and successfully guide you as you heal. Every rotator cuff tear is different, and at Axes Physical Therapy we design a tailored 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 look forward to seeing you once again able to high-five your clinical team as you leave. Contact us today by selecting the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.