Rotator Cuff Tear
What Are The Rotator Cuff?
The rotator cuff are a set of 4 muscles that attach from the shoulder blade onto the head of the humerus bone at the top of the arm. They provide stability in the shoulder by sucking the head of the humerus bone into the socket of the shoulder joint and work to keep it in place whilst we move our arms around. The end of a muscle is called a tendon and these attach onto bone, so the rotator cuff tendons are situated at the shoulder joint. Here they travel between 2 bones so this is the area that the tendons will often get pinched and can become damaged or torn.
What Does It Feel Like When You Have A Torn Rotator Cuff?
Some symptoms of a damaged rotator cuff are:
pain in the shoulder and upper arm
pain when you move the arm in a certain direction - often reaching out, reaching up or reaching back
pain is usually short and sharp and will make you drop your arm back to the side quickly
a residual ache is usually present for a short while after it has been irritated
most people also report that it is painful to sleep on the affected side
How Is Rotator Cuff Injury Diagnosed?
At The Physiotherapy Place, we will carry out a series of tests to determine if it is a rotator cuff injury, and which tendon it is that is injured. As well as diagnosing the injury, it is also important to figure out what has caused the problem in the first place. This is essential if the injury is to be treated effectively.
How Do We Treat A Rotator Cuff Injury?
This is a 2-pronged attack.
Firstly any causative factors must be corrected. This means that if there are postural issues or muscle imbalances around the shoulder that are causing the rotator cuff tendons to become damaged then these need to be addressed.
Secondly the affected muscles need to be released and treatment is needed to stimulate healing in the damaged tendon. This done with treatments such as:
stretching and strengthening exercises
What Exercise Can I Do With A Rotator Cuff Injury?
It is important not to do any exercise that exacerbates the problem - this usually means try not to have your arms above shoulder height. Addressing any muscle imbalances is important so specific stretches for tight muscles and strengthening for weak muscles is essential to take the load off the injured tendon to allow it to heal. You can find some good starter stretches for rotator cuff exercises here.
How Long Does It Take For A Torn Rotator Cuff To Heal?
Given optimal healing conditions, tendons take around 2-3 months to heal. Left untreated, rotator cuff injuries can last for several months or even years as the tendons continue to get damaged.
Can A Torn Rotator Cuff Heal On Its Own?
Yes it can - as long as the conditions are right for it to heal. By this I mean that if there is an imbalance in the shoulder that is irritating the rotator cuff tendon then it will stall the healing process. If the rotator cuff is no longer being pinched then it can settle down well. The other thing to consider is that many people have been found to have rotator cuff tears but have no symptoms whatsoever, so a torn rotator cuff doesn’t automatically mean that you will have issues.
What Will A Physiotherapist Do?
A physio will diagnose exactly which rotator cuff tendon or muscle is affected and why is has been damaged. A treatment program specific to your needs will be drawn up and all aspects that are contributing to your problem will be addressed. Treatment consists of:
deep transverse friction massage and ultrasound to the tendon
soft tissue release and Gunn IMS or dry needling to relax tight muscles
an exercise program to stretch and strengthen the shoulder in a safe an effective way
Once the rotator cuff injury and underlying issues are successfully resolved, this shouldn’t be an issue that returns in the future.