What is the rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff includes four major muscles and their associated tendons, which are all responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint and supporting the full range of arm motion.
The pressure constantly placed on your shoulder, whether through normal activities or the more intense stress of overhead activities like throwing, makes the rotator cuff vulnerable to injuries, such as tears.
What causes a rotator cuff tear?
Rotator cuff tears typically develop from an acute injury or tissue degeneration. For example, you may injure the muscles or tendons by falling on an outstretched arm or lifting a heavy object above your head.
Degenerative tears commonly arise from:
- Aging: natural degeneration from everyday wear and tear
- Repetitive stress: repeating the same shoulder movements
- Bone spurs: bony growths that develop over time and then rub against soft tissues
No matter what causes your rotator cuff tear, you’ll experience some degree of pain and limited arm and shoulder movement. When it goes untreated, the tear worsens, and you can develop shoulder instability.
How is a rotator cuff tear treated?
Most patients heal from a rotator cuff tear with nonsurgical treatments, such as rest, physical therapy, and injections, which help reduce inflammation and relieve your pain.
The doctors at Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center may also boost your healing with regenerative therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and adult stem cell injections.
Concentrated PRP and stem cell injections are made from your own blood (for PRP) and bone marrow (for stem cells). When used individually or together, these two therapies trigger the production of blood vessels and new tissues to replace damaged tissues in your shoulder.
Will I need arthroscopic shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff?
When your symptoms don’t improve with nonsurgical treatment, or when your rotator cuff tear is severe, your doctor may recommend arthroscopic surgery.
Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure performed using a few small incisions and specialized surgical tools. The small incisions reduce blood loss, lead to less postoperative pain, and cause minimal scarring. Additionally, your recovery is much faster with minimally invasive surgery.
The doctors at Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center perform arthroscopic shoulder surgery to treat:
- Rotator cuff tendon tears, including revision repair for failed rotator cuff repair
- Rotator cuff tendon impingement and bursitis
- Rotator cuff calcium deposits (calcific tendinitis)
If your shoulder has pain or limited motion, don’t wait to have it evaluated. Call Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center or book an appointment online.
