Shoulder Pain

What happens if the rotator cuff has a tear? Do I need to have surgery?

Depending on the size of the tear, you may experience pain that occurs with movement or pain that is constant. You may experience significant difficulty raising your arm, if at all. If the tear is small enough, conservative rehab has been shown to be effective, otherwise, arthroscopic repair is the method of choice.

How do you prevent rotator cuff tears from happening?

Posture

Having better posture and good body mechanics are your best bets in preventing rotator cuff tears. Why? Any time you allow your shoulders to slouch, you place the tendons in a risky position, that is, the cuff tendons become more susceptible to weakening and eventually tearing. With poor posture, when you try reaching for something overhead, you risk having the tendons chafe across the acromion. Over time, due to the repetitive chafing, the tendons can begin to weaken causing the cuff muscles to be susceptible to tears.

Fatigue

Many people who perform repetitive overhead activities leave their shoulders susceptible to shoulder problems. Rotator cuff tears can occur when muscles are overworked with either high volume and/or high intensity.

Body mechanics

How you perform an activity is a critical factor in the protection of your rotator cuff (and shoulder in general). Proper body positioning or form (during sport) may lessen your chances of injuring your rotator cuff and make for more efficient movement patterns.

Avoiding the painful activity

You may be surprised how active rest from a painful activity can save you from a chronic condition.