what symptoms would i possess if my rotator cuff was torn/damaged ?

Question

Can you wait for a few weeks after a rotator cuff is torn to have it repaired?

Answer 1

Weakness and pain: It'd be very unusual for a 16 year old to have a cuff tear, unless unusual trauma were involved. Most often the patient is over 40, and presents with weakness and pain. The cuff tear patient will often have pain and weakness elevating the arm, may have difficulty lifting a gallon of milk into the fridge. The pain is often mild at rest, worse with use. Torn cuffs do not cause numbness.

Answer 2

Pain and weakness: Pain in the area between the shoulder and elbow. Night pain. Pain lifting items in front of the body. Weakness with lifting. These are the most common symptoms. Thank you.

Answer 3

Not as bad as a tear: The tendons that attach the rotor cuff muscles to the top of the shoulder bone are commonly injured in adults. The spectrum of injury runs from a mild strain to a partial tear and ends with a full thickness tear. A strain specifically means that no actual tendon fibers are torn or ruptured, whereas increasingly more tendon fibers are overtly torn with partial and full thickness tears.

Answer 4

No much: A strain implies the muscle has been overloaded in some fashion but no structural damage has occurred. The fact that it hurts implies injury but not all injury is structurally significant.

Answer 5

Jobe's exercises: Jobe's exercises have been described as a series of strengthening exercises for the rotator cuff. They should be done with low resistance (1-3 lb dumbells or an exercise band). These exercises can be found via an internet search.

Answer 6

Combination: If no pain can work on internal and external rotation exercises with a band. Also can do scapular retraction exercises. When those are easy can advance to some flexion and abduction exercises with light resistance.

Answer 7

Therapy vs repair: Not all rotator cuff tears are treated the same. Factors such as age of patient, age of the tear, size of tear, location of the tear, and most importantly the symptoms of the patient all help determine the best course of treatment. A trial of nonoperative management with therapy and perhaps an injection is the usual 1st line of treatment. Surgery may be indicated if nonoperative treatment fails.

Answer 8

All tears different: First not all rot cuff tears need to be fixed.Partial and full thickness tears which are not painful or debillitating do not ned to be repaired. If you are active or the pain does not respond to pt, nonsteroidals or cortisone injection then you may need to get it fixed. If i see a 50 year old with a painful full thickness tear on the dominant side the odds are that surgery is probably needed.

Answer 9

Yes: Most tears will respond to non-operative measures, such as anti-inflammatory meds, physical therapy, and injections. Those that don't can be repaired surgically.

Answer 10

Yes: Although rotator cuff tears can be treated non-operatively with pt, injections, activity modifications, you should have a discussion with your surgeon in regards to the risks and benefits of operative managemt as long standing rtc tears can lead to significant other problems like "tear arthropathy" which would seriously hinder and limit shoulder function.

Answer 11

Severity of condtion: With impingment, the rotator cuff is being pinched, without necessarily being torn, between the acromion of the shoulder blade and the top of the humerus. Raising your arm pinches the rotator cuff just like closing a door pinches your fingers if they are stuck between the door and door jam. A rotator cuff tear implies that the tendon is not simply inflamed but is partially or totally disrupted.

Answer 12

Injury vs tearing: Impingement implies the cuff not having enough room to move vs tearing of the cuff. Impingemnt can be caused by multiple factors and can lead to tears of the cuff.

Answer 13

Variable: Anti inflammatory medication, ice, gentle motion and rotator cuff strengthening exercises. If it is not improving see your md.

Answer 14

Home exercises.: You could try some home physical therapy exercises, but if it's a complete tear, they may not help much.

what symptoms would i possess if my rotator cuff was torn/damaged ?

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