What are rotator cuff tears?
Several of the rotator cuff tendons can partially or fully detach from the humeral head. In most cases, tears develop in the supraspinatus tendon even though additional parts of the rotator cuff may be affected.
The process begins when the tendons start fraying. Afterwards, as the extent of the damage worsens, the tendon can tear completely, especially when lifting heavy weights
There exist three main types of rotator cuff tears such as:
- A partial rotator cuff tear arises when the tendon does not separate from the bone completely. Although the tendon is still connected to the bone, it is thinned out.
- A full-thickness rotator cuff tear develops when a portion of the tendon detaches from the bone.
- A complete rotator cuff tear happens when a hole develops in the tendon, separating it from the bone completely.
What are rotator cuff tears?
Typical signs of a rotator cuff tear include the following:
- Pain in the evening
- Pain exacerbates when raising or lowering the affected arm Weakness in the arm when lifting something
- Cracking noises (crepitus)
What causes rotator cuff tears?
A rotator cuff tear can develop due to an injury or degenerative causes as a result of age. An acute injury normally occurs when you fall on your arm or lift something heavy.
However, due to the natural process of ageing, the tendon may wear away, increasing the risk of a rotator cuff tear
Several other factors play a role in a rotator cuff tear, such as:
- Poor blood supply due to ageing
- The repetitive, continuous motion of the shoulder
How do you treat rotator cuff tears?
Unfortunately, the pain from an untreated rotator cuff tear can worsen over time, which is why it’s so important to spot symptoms of chronic arm and shoulder pain early on. The treatment for a rotator cuff tear aims to alleviate shoulder pain and restore the function of the shoulder.
Typical non-surgical treatments include rest by limiting any stressful activity, activity modification to lower the risk of an injury, possibly a tear, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to help manage pain and physical therapy.
Surgery must be considered when non-surgical treatments do not offer pain relief or long-term joint function.