Can a tear heal on its own in a rotator cuff?

Rotator Cuff: Depends on the size and thickness. Partial thickness tears can heal if they are less than 50% of the thickness of the tendon. Full thickness (complete) tears generally will not heal on their own and will often enlarge with time.

No: Unfortunately, tears can never actually heal without surgery. They can however become asymptomatic if one can strengthen the surrounding area with physical therapy. The rtc is always under tension so it is really impossible to get something pulled apart to heal. Many older people have partial tears with no symptoms. For this reason, it is common to try therapy first for small tears before surgery.