Rotator Cuff tear

What is a rotator cuff tear?

A rotator cuff tear is a tear within your shoulder’s rotator cuff tendons. The rotator cuff muscles are the stability muscles in your shoulder that help rotate your shoulder.  The rotator cuff tear may result in either a partial or full thickness tear of the tendon.

What causes a rotator cuff tear?

• Fall on out stretched hand
• Lifting injury
• Repetitive shoulder movements causing tendon to tear.

Signs and symptoms

• Pain or clicking when putting your hand behind your back or over your head.
• Significant weakness of the shoulder.
• An arc of shoulder pain approximately when your arm is at shoulder height and/or when your arm is overhead.
• Pain when lying on the sore shoulder.
• Shoulder pain at rest and at night.
• Reduced range of motion
• May have neck pain or tightness.

Treatment

• Small tears are treated with conservative physiotherapy intervention.
• Large tears may require referral to surgeon for surgical repair of tendon.
• Posture education
• Restore Scapular Control and Scapulohumeral Rhythm
• Manual physiotherapy:
  • Joint Mobilisations
  • Soft tissue massage
• Therapeutic exercise:
  • Mobility exercises
  • Scapula exercises
  • Rotator cuff strengthening
  • Stretching
• Taping
• Address contributing factors:
  • Correct posture
  • Ergonomic advice (i.e. workplace set-up, e.g. lumbar roll, computer height etc)
• Encourage normal activity and work.