Rotator Cuff Tears

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The shoulder is required to provide extreme measures of stability and mobility at the same time.  This high level of demand, along with the shoulder’s design, is what makes the shoulder vulnerable to injury.  

The Rotator Cuff is a unit of four muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis, Infraspinatus, and Teres Minor) that works to maintain the shoulder in good working order.  When the shoulder is placed under extreme forces (stress), over time the tendons of the rotator cuff can become inflamed (tendonitis) which can eventually lead to tearing.  

Rotator Cuff Tears can be extremely painful and disabling.  Tears of the rotator cuff usually occur in middle age as a result of over use and degeneration.  Younger adults and adolescents usually experience rotator cuff injuries resulting from sports or some type of traumatic accident.

Treatment for Rotator Cuff Tears is dependent on the degree to which the tendon is torn.  Smaller Rotator cuff tears are often treated with therapy to strengthen the weakened shoulder and promote healing.  Larger tears usually result in surgery to repair the condition, which is the usually followed by a comprehensive therapy program to improve range of motion, regain strength, and increase function.

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