When a shoulder muscle or tendon in the rotator cuff tears, people lose both strength and range of motion. Shoulder function can diminish greatly due to inflammation and tissue damage, especially if the injury affects the bones or nerves as well. Damage to the tendons of the supraspinatus, teres minor, infraspinatus or subscapularis muscles -- which collectively make up the rotator cuff -- can occur from strenuous repetitive motions or falls, blows or sudden awkward movements. Treating a shoulder tear centers on pain relief but begins with a definitive diagnosis.
Identification
People can recognize rotator cuff injuries by an inability to reach overhead, according to the University of Buffalo Sports Medicine website. Patients won't know from visible or symptomatic clues, however, whether or not an injury has fully torn the muscle or tendon tissue.
Physicians can use MRI or X-ray testing to assess the extent of the damage and prescribe a timeline for treatment. Mild tears of partial thickness may heal with conservative treatments, but full-thickness shoulder tears may warrant surgical repair.
Time Frame
First aid for inflammation and pain relief should occur during the first 48 hours after injury, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, or NIAMS. Recovery time for surgical and nonsurgical treatments may be similar in uncomplicated cases. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or AAOS, it can take four to six weeks of activity restriction to mend torn tissue, followed by six to 12 weeks of rehabilitative exercise. Complications such as bone fractures, labrum tears or bursitis may add to this time frame.
Features
First aid and continuing pain relief treatments include rest, ice and medications, notes the NIAMS. Patients should limit activities that cause pain, apply ice packs and take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin. For extreme pain, doctors can administer cortisone shots to the rotator cuff area. Depending on the size of the shoulder tear, injuries that don't respond to conservative treatment may need open or arthroscopic surgery.
Function
Pain relief channels the body's resources toward healing, so patients should continue to treat themselves for pain as long as it persists. Immobilizing the shoulder with a sling will reduce pain and allow for the repair of tendon tissue, the AAOS relates. Patients should only take NSAIDs for the duration listed on package directions. Ice pack treatments, however, can be used as often as necessary in 20-minute sessions.
Rehabilitation
As soon as inflammation following injury or surgery recedes, doctors may encourage passive exercises to maintain and increase rotator cuff range of motion. The AAOS reports that rehabilitative treatment for shoulder tears includes progressive training with a physical therapist to recover tendon strength and function.
References
- University of Buffalo Sports Medicine: Rotator Cuff Injury
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Sprains and Strains
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Rotator Cuff Treatment Options
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Shoulder Problems
