The rotator cuff constitutes a group of muscles and tendons in the shoulder, allowing you to move your arms across a range of motions. The complex nature of the rotator cuff makes it susceptible to tears. Rotator cuff tears are severe medical concerns that result in pain and limited motion. Rotator cuff tears usually occur due to tear and wear or when you fall on your arm or lift something heavy. Clinicians at Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance recommend various treatments for patients presenting with symptoms of Leawood rotator cuff tear, restoring the structure and function of affected tissues to restore productivity.

What Are The Symptoms of A Rotator Cuff Tear?

The rotator cuff is a critical element in your shoulder, allowing movement. Patients with rotator cuff tears experience difficulty moving their arms. This challenge causes a decrease in productivity, necessitating medical interventions to restore functioning rotator cuff constitutes. Clinicians should accurately review a patient’s symptoms and conduct comprehensive physical assessments to recognize the presence of a tear and thus develop an appropriate treatment plan to eliminate pain. The most common symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include:

• Challenges raising your arm
• Pain moving or lying on your arm
•  Shoulder weakness
• Difficulties lifting objects of certain weights
• Clicking or popping sound upon moving your arm

Home remedies are effective in providing short-term relief. However, medical intervention is necessary to eliminate persistent symptoms. You should seek emergency care if you notice any of these symptoms. Rotator cuff tears can lead to severe complications, including the development of chronic illnesses like arthritis that are difficult to treat. Therefore, you should seek early treatment to improve your chances of recovery.

What Are The Causes and Risk Factors of Rotator Cuff Tears?

The most common way patients tear their rotator cuff is a shoulder injury. Tendons wear and tear due to continued arm use can promote the occurrence of a rotator cuff tear, also known as a degenerative tear. The risk of degenerative tears increases following a patient’s predisposition to various risk factors like:

• Occupation: Patients who work in jobs like painting and construction requiring repetitive motions are at higher risk of muscle and tendon damage leading to rotator cuff tears.
• Limited blood supply: A healthy blood supply to the shoulder tissues allows small tears to get better without intervention. However, a limited blood supply cannot restore the structure of the torn rotator cuff and might lead to the development of more giant tears.
• Bone spurs: Bone overgrowth in the shoulder promotes friction in tissues accelerating wear and tear.
• Age: Rotator cuff tears are prevalent among patients over 60 years. The older you get, the more tissues weaken and are susceptible to degenerative diseases.
• Family history: There is a genetic link associated with rotator cuff tears. A positive family history of rotator cuff tears puts you at risk of developing the medical concern.
• ·         Athletics: Various sports, including baseball, basketball, volleyball, and weight lifting, exert a lot of pressure on the shoulders, promoting tears.

Effective medical intervention addressing rotator cuff tears involves a comprehensive review of symptoms and risk factors to determine the underlying cause of symptoms and develop appropriate treatment and management plans to restore shoulder structure and functionality. Contact Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance to undergo rigorous diagnostic and treatment protocols and relieve symptoms that may be limiting your performance at work.