OSS

Rotator cuff tears are a fairly common injury. Your rotator cuff is the name of the tendons that surround your shoulder joint. The rotator cuff allows your shoulder to move in different ways (such as lifting movements or rotating movements), and it also holds the upper arm bone (humerus) in place in the shoulder joint.

Rotator cuff tears can be the result of a single traumatic injury or event, or can result from prolonged use. Many athletes who perform repetitive over head movements, such as baseball players, tennis players, or rowers develop this issue.

Symptoms Associated with Rotator Cuff Tears

People with rotator cuff tears often complain of pain and/or weakness when lifting, lowering, or rotating the arm. Atrophy of the muscles around the shoulder is often a sign of a rotator cuff tear. Sometimes people feel a crackling sensation when moving their shoulder. People may feel pain when lying on their side at night.

Treatment Options

Non-surgical treatments including rest, limited overhead activity, and/or using a sling may be adequate. Anti-inflammatory medication or a cortisone injection may be recommended. Often times OSS surgeons may recommend strengthening exercises, or may refer you to our physical therapy department.

Surgery may be recommended if the patient is young with a recent acute and traumatic tear, or if conservative treatments do not provide relief.

The type of surgery recommended depends on the size, shape and location of the tear. Partial tears may require only a trimming or smoothing procedure, whereas complete tears in the thickest part of the tendon are often repaired by suturing the two sides of the tendon back together. Sometimes OSS surgeons employ arthroscopic surgery to repair rotator cuff tears. Many surgical repairs can be done on an outpatient basis.

If you think you have a rotator cuff tear, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with one of our surgeons.