What is a rotator cuff tear?
You have 4 main muscles and tendons in your shoulder. And these muscles are what keeps your arm socket connected to your body. The stronger these muscles are the less likely you will get a rotator cuff tear.
If one of these muscles tear from excessive force or trauma, we call it a rotator cuff tear.
Those who are susceptible to rotator cuff tears are:
- Those who do a lot of computer work,
- Sitting work like driving or office jobs,
- Electricians or those who reach overhead repetitively
- Athletes who do a lot of overhead throwing (ie. baseball, softball, water polo, volleyball players)
- Poor posture
It’s important to keep your shoulder healthy. If you are experiencing pain in the shoulder, even occasional pain, it’s important to do the following things on your own:
- Avoid sleeping on that side.
- Take frequent breaks from sitting. At least every 30minutes.
- Don’t push or pull too hard when your hands are somewhere outside your field of vision.
- And see your local physical therapist.
BE WARY of steroid/cortisone injections, drugs, or invasive procedures. There are several degrees of a tear (grade 1-4). In most cases, it’s best to try conservative treatment first. Especially someone who specializes in movement for treatment. Balancing the muscles around the shoulder and thoracic parts of your body can bring good results.
If you have a severe tear, it may not respond to conservative treatment. But an experienced therapist will be able to tell you if your condition is too severe for therapy.
Other Common Shoulder Problems That Can Present Like a Rotator Cuff Tear
Sometimes, you may not have a rotator cuff tear. Other things such as Shoulder Impingement or Tendonitis can feel like somethings torn but it is not. The best treatment approach can be determined once your exact cause is determined. Believe it or not, MRI’s and x-rays are not the best diagnostics for shoulder problems. They are not as reliable as a practitioner who specializes in shoulder pain and problem.
If you are concerned with a shoulder pain or problem, call us at (800) 930-8803 today to see if any consultations or promotions are available.
Other resources:
Shoulder problems at AilmentsWeTreat.com
A great resource to learn about tendon tears is WebMD
