The rotator cuff uses four muscles to keep the shoulder in its socket and it connects the humerus to the shoulder blade. It is made up of four muscles, the subscapularis, teres minor, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus. A rotator cuff tear occurs when one of these tendons are torn so that the humerus is no longer intact (Armstrong). Depending on the severity of tears, there are different types. A partial tear causes damage but it is not fully torn, while a full-thickness tear causes enough damage to sever the tendon into two separate pieces (Armstrong). The main reasons for a rotator cuff tear are from an injury or damage over time. An acute tear happens because of an injury, like trying to lift more than you can handle. A degenerative tear …show more content…
If the cuff begins to tear due to time, then there will be slight pain at first when performing things that require the use of effort, but eventually it will become more difficult to accomplish everyday tasks. A few mechanisms for this injury would be falling with an arm stretched out, wearing down with age, and repetitive lifting or stress on the area. The injury is diagnosed by what caused the injury, observing the shoulders and shoulder blades to check for abnormalities, going through tests and measuring the strength of the muscle, and x-rays and MRIs that look deeper into the muscle. A few of the differential diagnoses for a rotator cuff tear would be: acromioclavicular injury, cervical spondylosis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, shoulder dislocation, sub acromial bursitis, and rotator cuff tendinitis. Sports where a tear is most common are weightlifting, tennis, baseball, and rowing (Armstrong). Modalities that could be used for the treatment and overall improvement of a tear would be, ice, heat, or ultrasound …show more content…
This happens with continuous stress or injury to the area. If the pain increases and loss of strength and weakness occur, the tear could be getting worse. The earlier a diagnosis can be made on a rotator cuff tear, the sooner treatment options can come into play and avoid the loss of movement and strength. Although the shoulder is one of the most stable joints in the body, it is also susceptible to weakness. When there is too much stress on the area, it can tear or cause swelling of the rotator cuff. Even though most rotator cuff tears occur over time, they can also happen abruptly and should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Degeneration tears can mostly be healed through extensive physical therapy, but when a specific injury takes place, surgery followed by physical therapy may be the best option. In order to expect a full recovery, the patient must follow all orders directed by the doctor, go to appointments, and keep performing exercises to increase strength and range of motion. Even if the patient feels that they have regained optimal functioning, they should continue to follow these guidelines to ensure a healthy