Conservative treatments — such as rest, ice and physical therapy — sometimes are all that's needed to recover from a rotator cuff injury.
Probably people can resume their activities like playing sports after six months. However, a complete recovery from a rotator cuff tear might take up to a year in some cases. There is no need to reconnect a partially torn tissue to the bone to regain its full range of motion.
Typically tears occur in those over age 40, but occasionally tears are seen in younger individuals. Typical signs of a rotator cuff tear include pain with overhead use of the arm, weakness or pain preventing or disrupting sleep.
Rotator cuff tears do not heal on their own without surgery, but many patients can improve functionally and decrease pain with nonsurgical treatment by strengthening their shoulder muscles. Just because there is a tear, does not necessarily mean a surgery is needed.
Moist heat, such as a hot bath, shower, or a heat pack, can help loosen up your shoulder when you feel pain in your shoulder. An ice pack applied to the shoulder 20 minutes at a time, 3 to 4 times a day, may also help cut down the swelling when you are in pain. Wrap the ice pack in a clean towel or cloth.
Before exercising, warm up your muscles and tendons in a warm shower or with a heating pad. You may experience some mild soreness with muscle-toning exercises — ice applied to the shoulder should help relieve it — but if you develop sharp or severe pain, stop the exercises for a few days.
Stop doing what caused the pain and try to avoid painful movements. Limit heavy lifting or overhead activity until the shoulder pain subsides. Icing the shoulder may help it feel better. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) also may be helpful.
If left untreated, a rotator cuff tear can severely restrict function and range of motion. The tear can also increase over time. This may cause partial rotator cuff tears to progress to total tears.
Patients with “well-balanced” massive rotator cuff tears may still have good active motion and be able to perform their activities of daily living.
Without any treatment—either rest and rehabilitation or surgery—rotator cuff disorders may get worse. Over time, you may have more pain. You may lose range of motion and strength in your shoulder, making it harder to do your daily activities.
MRI scans are most commonly used to diagnose partial rotator cuff tears. However, just because an MRI scan shows a tear doesn't mean it is the cause of your shoulder pain. The most common condition that mimics a rotator cuff tear is shoulder stiffness or a frozen shoulder.
Tendonitis pain and chronic rotator cuff tendon pain can be gradual and can worsen overtime with continued use of the shoulder joint. In contrast, an acute rotator cuff tear will typically present with sharp, immediate pain and weakness in the shoulder joint.
The Lateral Jobe Test is actually one of the most reliable tests for a rotator cuff injury, and you may need an assistant again to help administer this test. This test also looks for weakness in the supraspinatus muscle.
Patients are often advised to wear a sling or brace for the first 4–6 weeks after rotator cuff repair surgery to prevent them from performing any physical activities involving the affected shoulder (3).
Lying on your back is probably best for your rotator cuff. While you have more places to put your arms without damage, keeping them at your sides is preferable. If you put your arms up over your head, you may stretch the muscles and tendons of your rotator cuff.
If you are very active and use your arms for overhead work or sports, your doctor may also suggest surgery. Other signs that surgery may be a good option for you include: Your symptoms have lasted 6 to 12 months. You have a large tear (more than 3 cm) and the quality of the surrounding tendon tissue is good.
One of the things that's really common with rotator cuff tears is that they don't hurt all the time. It's a very intermittent process. I would describe it as a roller coaster ride where people have a lot of pain followed by periods of relatively few symptoms. It's not usually consistent.
Protein-rich foods to get back the strength
It can help in the alleviation of inflammation and promotes rebuilding of lost muscles. So, evenly add protein in all the meals. The great sources of proteins are fish, poultry, meat, tofu, soybeans, peas, nuts, seeds, beans, etc.
The rotator cuff (which is muscle) is sandwiched between two bones much like a sock lies between the heel and the edge of a shoe. In the same way that repeated walking eventually wears out the sock, the rotator cuff muscles fray with repeated rubbing on the bone.
Treatment. If your tear came from repeated use, then you may be able to manage your rotator cuff injury without undergoing surgery. You might be asked to wear a sling to keep your arm from moving. Allowing your arm and shoulder to rest properly is important in allowing your rotator cuff to heal.
Jobs that require repetitive overhead arm motions, such as carpentry or house painting, can damage the rotator cuff over time. Certain sports. Some types of rotator cuff injuries are more common in people who participate in sports like baseball, tennis and weight-lifting.
Lifting heavy weights above your head — From Olympic lifts to overhead presses to pulldowns, the combination of weight with this specific movement can worsen your shoulder pain. If you have a rotator cuff injury, you should avoid lifting heavy weights altogether to allow your muscles and tendons to heal properly.