Rotator Cuff Tears Specialist

What causes rotator cuff tears?

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that hold your upper arm in the shoulder joint. The muscles attach to your shoulder blade, while their associated tendons cover and connect to the upper arm. 

In addition to ensuring your arm stays in the joint, each muscle and tendon perform specific arm movements. As a group, they allow your arm's full range of motion while stabilizing the joint.

When the rotator cuff tears, the injury typically affects the tendons. The tear may occur due to an acute injury such as falling onto your shoulder. However, you're more likely to develop a rotator cuff tear from an overuse injury.

As you repeatedly make the same arm movements, you end up with a small tear that keeps enlarging. Overhead movements during activities like baseball, rowing, weightlifting, tennis, painting, and carpentry increase your risk of tearing the rotator cuff.

Age-related tissue degeneration weakens the tendons and leads to rotator cuff tears. As you get older, the blood supply to the rotator cuff also diminishes. As a result, the tendons can't heal easily, and tears develop.

What symptoms develop due to a rotator cuff tear?

Torn rotator cuffs cause symptoms such as:

• Arm and shoulder pain
• Pain when lifting and lowering your arm
• Pain while lying on the side with the injury
• Difficulty using your arm
• Shoulder and arm weakness
• Crackling or popping when using your shoulder

Suddenly tearing the tendons during a traumatic injury causes immediate pain. By comparison, your symptoms gradually get worse if you have an overuse injury.

How are rotator cuff tears treated?

After reviewing your medical history and symptoms, Dr. Codjoe completes a physical exam. He may order X-rays to see if you have bone spurs or other bone changes. He may also order an MRI, which provides detailed images of the tendons and bones.

After evaluating your rotator cuff, Dr. Codjoe develops a customized treatment plan based on the severity of your injury and symptoms. Your treatment begins with the most appropriate non-surgical therapies and may include:

• Limiting arm movement
• Resting or immobilizing the shoulder
• Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Getting a cortisone injection
• Physical therapy

Dr. Codjoe recommends minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery when your symptoms don't improve, you have a large tear, or you need to regain maximum strength to return to your usual activities. 

During the procedure, he removes damaged tissues and bone spurs and then reattaches the torn tendon to the upper arm bone.

If you have signs of a rotator cuff tear, call Paul Codjoe, MD, or book an appointment online today.