Shoulder Arthritis / Rotator Cuff Tears: causes of shoulder pain: What can be done for rotator cuff tears without su...

Shoulder Arthritis / Rotator Cuff Tears: causes of shoulder pain: What can be done for rotator cuff tears without su...: With the exception of an acute traumatic cuff tear that results in an abrupt loss of strength, there is usually an opportunity for non-opera...

Saturday, December 28, 2013

What can be done for rotator cuff tears without surgery?

With the exception of an acute traumatic cuff tear that results in an abrupt loss of strength, there is usually an opportunity for non-operative management. This is particularly the case for partial thickness tears on one hand and larger atraumatic tears on the other.

We recall that rotator cuff tears may be associated with symptoms of stiffness, weakness, crepitance and instability. We also know that rotator cuff repair requires prolonged protection of the repair so that the individual often cannot return to work or even activities of daily living for months after repair surgery. Therefore, we offer those individuals with non-acute cuff tears a trial of non-operative management emphasizing gentle stretching exercises - especially those directed at achieving a full range of passive motion (see here, especially exercises E,F, and G). It is always of interest to us that individuals with cuff pathology lack internal rotation with the arm in abduction and that the 'sleeper stretch' (G) can go a long way to resolving this tightness and the associated shoulder pain. These exercises often help resolve the crepitance as well.