Rotator Cuff Tear in Weldon Spring Heights, MO. A rotator cuff tear can not only make physical tasks like sports or the physical requirements of your occupation tougher, but it can also impede basic tasks like brushing your teeth. Our Weldon Spring Heights, 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 – without any pain. 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 Weldon Spring Heights, MO and Missouri is run by physical and occupational therapists who have committed their lives to helping individuals like you in the Weldon Spring Heights, MO area achieve the mobility and physical health you require. Our comprehensive clinical expertise, evidence-based treatment plans, and background as motion experts permit us to successfully shepherd you in heal your rotator cuff tear. 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 you have suffered a rotator cuff tear and want to get back to the activities and sports you love or are simply looking for enduring and meaningful pain relief, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our Weldon Spring Heights, 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 Weldon Spring Heights, MO

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 tendons and muscles that keeps the ball of your humerus (upper arm bone) in your shoulder socket, which is relatively shallow. Besides helping prevent shoulder dislocations, the rotator cuff allows you to raise your arm and elevate it above your head. For any functional endeavor requiring maneuvering of your arm, the rotator cuff musculature function alongside other larger muscles in the shoulder and scapular area to elevate or move the upper extremity. It’s the collaboration between the rotator cuff and the larger, more forceful muscles, along with the bone anatomy of the shoulder, that enables the great range of movement in 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 triangle-shaped 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 away from your body 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 helps you rotate your shoulder inward, as well as straighten and move your arm downward.

The rotator cuff is fundamental in basically every sort of shoulder movement. A healthy rotator cuff requires balanced strength and control in all four muscles in order to correctly rotate, raise, extend, and protect your arm and shoulder. If you have sustained a rotator cuff tear or any other injury, come see the Weldon Spring Heights, 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 acute trauma or gradual degeneration. Trauma can take place when you lift a heavy object or your arm is stretched too much. Degeneration takes place because of overuse or normal weakening of the muscles and tendons as you get older. Regardless of what kind of pain or injury you are having in your shoulder, the Weldon Spring Heights, MO movement health experts at Axes physical are here to shepherd you in your treatment.

Rotator cuff injuries fall into 1 of the 3 categories below:

1. Rotator cuff tears happen as a result of 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 the result of trauma, such as falling, but most rotator cuff tears are from overuse or repeating every day motions over time like throwing. The tendon is initially frayed before becoming torn. Often, people with partial tears do not know 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 weakening of one of the tendons attaching muscle to the bone. Patients typically feel pain in the area just outside the joint. Teninopathy often happens to overhead athletes or those who work with their arms overhead. The irritation is often because of rotator cuff weakness, poor posture, and weakness of the muscles surrounding the shoulder.
3. Impingement is caused by a tendon rubbing on a shoulder blade. Typically occurring with overhead activities. Impingement syndrome can later lead to chronic rotator cuff irritation and partial tearing.

All three injuries can be treated successfully with conservative treatment such as physical therapy. 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 Weldon Spring Heights, MO team of physical and occupational therapists will design a customized plan for your rotator cuff tear recovery so that you can get back to owning your neighborhood softball league, painting your walls, or conducting basic daily activities like pouring a cup of coffee with comfort and ease.

Rotator Cuff Tear | Axes Physical Therapy Weldon Spring Heights, MO

Rotator Cuff Tear Causes and Risk Factors

The two types of rotator cuff tears are:

• Acute Tears — This type of rotator cuff tear occurs when you suffer trauma. You may have fallen on your overstretched arm. They can also be caused by other structural damage, such as a broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder.
• Degenerative Tears — These are also known as chronic rotator cuff tears. They happen over time and can be the result of several factors:
  • Repetitive Stress — Repeating the same shoulder motions over time can lead to tendons fraying and tearing. This can happen 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 carry out a certain motion over and over.
  • Lack of Blood Flow — As we age our body carries less blood to our rotator cuff, meaning it is more difficult for the body to heal small tears, which can cause larger tears. The rotator cuff is notorious 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 . Over time, the bone can irritate 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 go through life. Sports and jobs that require heavy lifting are the most common risks for Weldon Spring Heights, MO young people.

Rotator Cuff Tear Symptoms

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

• Trouble elevating your arm
• Pain or soreness with certain shoulder movements
• Pain at night or when resting, particularly if you’re lying on the injured shoulder
• Weakness in your shoulder
• Hearing or feeling clicking, grating, or popping with specific arm movements
• Inability to lift things you can typically lift

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s imperative that you get in touch with a medical professional such as the Weldon Spring Heights, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy. We will work in concert with your doctor to coordinate a plan for your treatment. Visiting any of our locations for a free injury screening is an easy, cost-effective means of having your shoulder evaluated. Early examination and treatment can help prevent a frozen shoulder – which is painful and can take up to three years to completely recover from – or arthritis, which will have to be managed for the rest of your life. We have the expertise and skill to return 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 asking yourself what the most successful form of treatment is in Weldon Spring Heights, MO. Typically, rest, icing, and physical therapy treatment methods such as stretching and strengthening exercises will be sufficient to help manage the symptoms, encourage the body’s natural healing process, and eventually get you back to a pain free life. If the pain is severely debilitating, a physician make recommend anti-inflammatory medicine or injections. Luckily, surgery is only recommended in rotator cuff tears with complete tears or if rest and physical therapy have not been successful. The licensed physical therapists at Axes Physical Therapy know how to evaluate your condition and implement the best treatment plan for you. We will work alongside you to create an evidence-based, customized plan to get you back to what you love doing, 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:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me

Receive Treatment for Your Rotator Cuff Tear Today | Axes Physical Therapy Weldon Spring Heights, MO

Whether your rotator cuff tear occured because of an injury or of weakening over time, you won’t be able to entirely enjoy your life as you should until you get treatment from experienced and empathetic physical and occupational therapists who can safely and effectively shepherd you in your recovery. No two rotator cuff tears are exactly the same, 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 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 choosing the location nearest you or get a free injury screening to take the first step in getting back to the activities you love.