A shoulder muscle tear can involve any of the muscles that move the shoulder joint. Tears most commonly occur when the shoulder muscle is overly or abruptly stretched. According to MayoClinic.com, poor conditioning, muscle fatigue and improper warm up can lead to a muscle tear. This condition is treated conservatively with medications, ice and physical therapy; however, surgery may be required to repair the muscle. A patient with shoulder pain should be aware of the symptoms of a torn shoulder muscle.
Pain
Medline Plus, of the National Institutes of Health, states that a patient with a torn shoulder muscle may experience pain in the affected shoulder. This occurs because sensory nerves in the shoulder muscle may be damaged. Furthermore, a tear in the shoulder muscle causes inflammation in the affected shoulder, which may cause pain. In this case, MayoClinic.com recommends that a patient should first ice the affected shoulder for 20 minutes, then remove for 20 minutes. Ice therapy should be repeated as often as possible immediately after the injury. Furthermore, a patient may take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that reduce chemical signals related to pain. If these conservative treatments do not relieve pain, the patient should seek medical attention.
Bruising
A torn muscle may leave a bruise in the affected area, states Medline Plus. This occurs because blood vessels in the torn muscle can also be torn or damaged, and will leak blood into the surrounding tissue. Leaking blood gives a bruise the characteristic black and blue color. In this case, ice therapy may be effective in reducing bruising because ice shrinks blood vessels, which can help control bleeding underneath the skin. Bruising caused by a torn muscle may take weeks or months to clear up. If bruising continually worsens after injury, the patient should see his doctor.
Limited Movement
The a torn muscle can be difficult to move, states MayoClinic.com. This occurs because the torn muscle cannot contract normally, as too many muscle fibers may be torn. Furthermore, a patient may notice that pain worsens when moving the shoulder, which would limit shoulder movement. If the tear has completely severed a muscle or tendon, the patient will not be able to move the shoulder along the plane in which that particular muscle moves the shoulder. For example, the deltoid muscle is on the outside of the shoulder and moves the upper arm away from the body. If this muscle is completely torn, then the patient will not be able to move the upper arm away from the body. Because a complete tear is serious, immediate medical treatment is necessary. In addition, surgery may be needed to repair a completely torn shoulder muscle.
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