Imagine your shoulder as a ball sitting in a socket. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that form a “cuff” around your shoulder joint. These muscles work together to help you lift and rotate your arm. They provide stability and strength and are essential for almost every movement of your upper body. A healthy rotator cuff helps ensure smooth and pain-free shoulder movement. However, sometimes your rotator cuff can become torn, which is a type of rotator cuff problem that plagues over 2 million Americans each year. A tear can happen gradually over time due to overuse or suddenly from an injury. Common causes of a torn rotator cuff include:
Repeated overhead motions
Falling on an outstretched arm
Direct blow to the shoulder
Aging
A torn rotator cuff can cause a combination of the following symptoms:
Dull ache in the shoulder
Weakness in the arm
Trouble moving the shoulder
Grating, popping, or clicking sensation when the arm is moved
Numbness or tingling, in severe cases
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to consult a health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.
How is a torn rotator cuff diagnosed?
Diagnosing a torn rotator cuff typically involves a combination of a physical examination and imaging tests by a health care professional.
Physical exam — A physical exam will assess your shoulder’s range of motion, strength and tenderness.
Imaging tests — An X-ray can rule out other issues that can cause shoulder pain. An MRI provides detailed images of the soft tissue, which allows for an accurate diagnosis of the tear’s location and severity.
Treatment options for a torn rotator cuff
Treatment for a torn rotator cuff depends on several factors, including the severity of the tear, your age and your activity level. Treatment options include:
Nonsurgical treatment — Nonsurgical care for your rotator cuff often involves rest, cold therapy, physical therapy and pain management. It may be suitable for mild tears or individuals with limited activity levels.
Surgery — For more severe tears or individuals who are experiencing significant pain and disability, surgery may be recommended. Surgery typically involves repairing the torn tendon or replacing it with a graft.
7 ways a physical therapist can help care for your torn rotator cuff during recovery
Your physical therapist is a crucial part of your rotator cuff recovery journey. They can provide expert guidance and support to help you regain strength, flexibility and function. Here’s how they can help you:
Pain management — Your physical therapist can use techniques like ice, heat and manual therapy to help alleviate your pain and discomfort.
Range-of-motion exercises — Gentle exercises and stretches can help restore your shoulder’s ability to move freely.
Strength building — Targeted exercises can help strengthen the rotator cuff muscles and surrounding stabilizers.
Functional training — Your physical therapist can help you “relearn” everyday activities and gradually return to your normal routine.
Postural correction — Improving your posture can help reduce strain on your shoulder.
Education — Your physical therapist can teach you about proper body mechanics and how to prevent future injuries.
Motivation and support — Your physical therapist will encourage and support you throughout the recovery process.
By working closely with your physical therapist, you can maximize your chances of a successful recovery and return to your desired activities.
Physical therapy techniques to help care for a torn rotator cuff
Physical therapy is an essential part of caring for a torn rotator cuff. Your physical therapist may use a variety of techniques in your personalized care plan to aid in your recovery, such as:
Soft tissue mobilization — Soft tissue mobilization is a manual therapy technique where your physical therapist will apply gentle pressure and movement to the soft tissue around your shoulder. This hands-on technique is intended to help reduce pain, improve blood flow and release muscle tension.
Joint mobilization — Your physical therapist may also use another manual therapy technique, joint mobilization. They will carefully move your shoulder joint within its pain-free range of motion to help restore mobility and reduce stiffness.
Myofascial release — Another hands-on technique, myofascial release, is done by your physical therapist applying sustained pressure to specific points to help release tension in the fascia, a connective tissue that surrounds your muscle.
Therapeutic exercises — Your physical therapist may recommend therapeutic exercises for you to complete during your sessions or in between sessions to boost the effectiveness of other modalities. These exercises may include:
Range-of-motion exercises
Strengthening exercises
Functional exercises
Scapular stabilization exercises
Dry needling — Dry needling is a specialized technique that should only be used by certified practitioners. A certified physical therapist will manually insert thin, sterile needles into specific points in your muscles. These specific points, or trigger points, are knots in your muscles that can cause pain and muscle tension. The needles are intended to help stimulate healing, reduce pain and promote muscle relaxation.
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) — Your physical therapist will use specially designed stainless steel instruments to apply pressure and friction to the affected area. This pressure can help break down scar tissue, reduce muscle tension and improve blood flow.
Electrical stimulation — Electrical stimulation is a modality that can aid torn rotator cuff recovery. Electrodes are placed on the skin around the affected area. These electrodes deliver low-level electrical currents that can stimulate muscle contractions. Electrical stimulation can help improve muscle strength and endurance and relieve pain.
Combining these and other techniques can help your physical therapist effectively address the challenges you’re experiencing from a torn rotator cuff and help you regain your shoulder function.
Reclaim your shoulder strength from a torn rotator cuff with KC Rehab
Suffering from a torn rotator cuff can be debilitating, but with the right care, you can regain function and mobility. At KC Rehab, we specialize in helping patients recover from rotator cuff injuries. Our experienced team of physical therapists will develop a personalized treatment plan designed to address your specific needs and guide you through every step of your recovery journey.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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