Help - Rotator Cuff Tear
 

Well, when it rains it pours, they say! It wasn't bad enough that I had to have my gallbladder out this past May, but now I have a rotator cuff tear in my right arm!

I know there has to be someone out in YT land that has had this. I just picked up the MRI results. It is not torn all the way, just a partial tear.

My doc is referring me to a bone and joint clinic soon. Is there any other treatment for this other than surgery......like muscle strengthening exercises? My brother had this and he did PT at home by using the wide band on a door knob. Of course, this was HIS idea to do this. He is in tip-top shape now and has not had a problem since.

I want to do what is best so that there will not be long-term complications. I'm afraid that is what will happen if I don't have the surgery to repair the partial tear.

Please don't sugar coat what the surgery is like or even the pain afterwards. I've heard it is a HORRIBLE surgery to have.

Of course, I will go to the specialist and ask him lots of questions, but in the meantime, I will be doing some research.

Ouch! Sorry to hear this news! I didn't have the surgery but I do remember it taking forever to heal (seemed painful forever anyway). Hope you get some better answers than mine, lol. Praying for a speedy recovery for you...

the only thing i know for sure is my bil had this happen to him...more severe tear i believe he had surgery and pushed himself back to work too soon and had to do it over again..i hope you dont have to have surgery but if you do please be sure you are fully healed!! best wishes to you.

I am dealing with a rotator cuff problem right now too. My problem is poor posture at work from resting too much body weight on my elbow/shoulder on my desk. Such a hard habit to break! I have not been to the doctor yet because all they'll do is run a bunch of expensive tests to tell me what I already know. So, I've just been doing some exercises to try and help range of motion. I also sleep on my side, so I now sleep with a pillow next to be so my arm can rest on that pillow and that has helped me the most it seems.

So, you had a tear, Kathy? I'm hoping the doc will just give me exercises to put me back on the road to recovery.

I also knew a person that did that. I would hope I wouldn't, but I'm not a person with a great deal of patience. :rolleyes::eek: And, then again, if I have to have surgery, I could milk it for as long as I can at home and not have to cook or houseclean. LOL

I started with a tear that then became Frozen Shoulder. I could not lift my arm above chest level. I swam and did stretching and pushed a little beyond my comfort level.

One year later (yes.....one year) I have 90% use of my arm and shoulder. My friend who is a DR also had a Frozen Shoulder and he said most cases resolve themselves completely without treatment in 1-2 years. He is a cancer surgeon so I'm pretty sure he was informed on his decision not to operate before he would risk his career with his own shoulder issues :eek:

Yeah, I think poor posture could have aggravated mine. I, too, sat at a desk for many years. I'm also a side sleeper. I really don't get much sleep because the discomfort wakes me up.

I'm really sorry you are going through this, too. I hope the exercises resolve the pain for you and help to heal you.

My GP sent me to PT first before even suggesting an MRI. (I have to laugh because this first sentence sounded like secret code). I went twice a week for 8 weeks and it didn't help. The PT said since I wasn't getting any better, she was sending me back to my GP. They came to the conclusion it was not the rotator cuff.

It's the pits. For me it's like a reality check that I'm not as young as I once was. With the pillow, I call it spooning a pillow :D. It does help with that burning stabbing pain at night.

Wow! This is good to know and from a great source! Do you think that since my GP now knows it is a partial tear that it would be a good idea for him to refer me back to PT and have them start on a program? My insurance pays 100% for PT so this would be no problem.

I don't swim very well so that would be out. I do know how to stretch! lol Surely my GP has some stretching exercises he could share with me.

I can just hear the Orthopedic surgeon say "Let's schedule surgery now!" After all, this is their job. I am definitely going to listen to what he says, but I'm not scheduling on that day.

No rotator cuff issues but tons of knee issues, depending on how bad the tear is on if you need surgery or not and if you do find the best.... If there are Dr's in your area that work in pro sports team players go there.... Ask around... Even ask other Dr's if this was your shoulder who would you let do the work OR call local PT places explain to them the issue and ask who would they go to!!! Do not just go to who your Dr says without research!!! My knee Dr waiting room will have NFL, NBA all kind of sports players in the waiting room that some have even flown in to see him!!

My Dr is great, he would try everything in the world before surgery in fact I actually need full knee replacement but he is helping find ways to hold out for now.

I've never had this problem, but I work in the auto haul industry (I'm a dispatcher) and I've seen several of our drivers have this happen. One guy, in particular, had it happen 2 times to the same shoulder. He couldn't raise his arm up hardly at all so he had to have the surgery. He went thru PT after the surgery and 4 months later, he was back working. It was extremely painful (the post surgery rehab) from what he said, but he's glad he had the surgery.

Ouch! I don't have any experience in this department, but I wanted to send well wishes. My only knowledge of rotator cuff problems is that it is a common problem with baseball pitchers.

Hope you don't have to have surgery. Praying therapy will help you heal.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone! The Ortho specialist I'm asking my GP to send me to is in Sports Medicine. I'm feeling more optimistic and positive about everything tonight. I got the MRI report and re-read it. It's a partial tear so I'm thinking PT will help it. I'm going to exhaust every possibility out there before even thinking about the surgery.

Oh my! I am so sorry!! I know nothing about this but just want you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs!

I had a patient grab my left wrist and try to jerk my arm off....he partially tore my rotator cuff. I have a high tolerance to pain because I am very sensitive to pain meds and can only take Darvocet N for pain...and of course, they have now decided that causes heart problems and I think pulled it off the market. I have NEVER had anything hurt me as bad as that rotator cuff.....the ONLY comfortable position I could hold my arm was to hold my arm tightly against my body, bent up at the elbow....my ortho surgeon told me absolutely NO USE of that arm for 6 months....if at that time it had not mended, I would need surgery. I cried for 4 months with the pain from that partially torn cuff, unable to take anything stronger than Aleve for pain....I feel so sorry for you!!!

Well I had a full tear. When you go to the Orthopedic see if you can go to PT first. Go to a PT office. They give you exercises, heat, stim, massage, etc. then if it doesn't work go through with the surgery. I had it done twice. If you want to talk. I can send you my number and you can call me. I can tell you all of it. It is no problem. Good luck at the dr

I had a partially torn rotator cuff years ago...did try physical therapy but it did not help. The surgery was really not all that bad...it was done by endoscopy. I do have a high tolerance to pain, though...so maybe it hurts more for some??

Prior to the surgery I was pretty uncomfortable with it.....it would be fine and then out of the blue I would feel these horrible stabbing pains. Never really knew what precipiated it.

I think the post surgical discomfort was less than the pain prior to the surgery.

Lots of great suggestions and advice. I particularly like Guiness Stout's suggestion, it is really worth it to try and find out in your area, who the pro ball players, wrestlers or other athletes go to for torn Rotator Cuff muscle (s). BTW the Rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that provide the bulk of the medial to posterior aspect/roundedness of your shoulder. The anatomical acroymn is the SITS muscles. In order from superior to inferior attachments on the superior humerus is Supraspinatous, Infraspinatous, Teres Minor, and Subscapularis. Any one or two can be torn - compeletely or partially. The each have their own tendor to attach that muscle to the bone of the humerus(upper arm bone).

The shoulder is one of the hardest joints in the body to diagnose correctly and often times with injury can take a whole long time to heal up.

The location of the tear will have an impact into healing times - ie was it in the tendon attachment - the muscle belly - was only one muscle involved?

A sports medicine specialist who has loads of experience in Rotator Cuff would be ideal to help you through the healing process.

Stretches for the torn muscle, at this point would not be advised. The tear needs to heal. But stretches for the surrounding musculature is okay. Also building up muscle strength is well advised.

I would certainly look at - Physical therapy - including Ultrasound, Tens, Laser Therapy and Massage Therapy.

Hydrotherapy as appropriate to help increase circulation through the joint.

Acupuncture can help often with pain and to help relieve muscle splinting that can and often times accompany an acute injury.

I hope that you are able to heal up as fast as possible. What a rotten time of year to get a shoulder injury:(

My husband had that and he was in a lot of pain. Did some exercises, but also tries to unmobilized as much as possible. Sleep with the arm on top of a pillow. If insurance covers PT, then take advange of that as much as possible. It takes quite some times, but it does heal. You need to take care of yourself, cause there's always chances of reocurrence once it happens.

So sorry that happened. It sounds so painful. I hope you find the right path for you.:)

Oh, wow! Thanks to everyone for all the information and advice. I changed from the Othopedic surgeon that my GP scheduled me with to another Ortho specialist that serves as a team physician for Baylor Unicersity. My appt is tomorrow afternoon. Just in case anyone has any insight they would like to share, I'm posting the MRI results. It sounds like Greek to me. Hopefully, it can be treated with rest and PT since it is a partial tear.

"There is a full-thickness tear of the anterior insertion of the supraspinatus tendon without evidence of retraction. Portions of the supraspinatus tendon are probably intact suggesting that this is an incomplete tear. The infra spinatus tendon appears intact. There is mild osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint. There is a small amount of fluid in the subacromial sub deltoid bursa, probably on the basis of a rotator cuff tear. The glenoid labrum is not assessed without gadolinium. The morphology of the humeral head appears normal. The long head of the biceps tendon is situated normally in the biceps groove.

IMPRESSION: incomplete, full thickness, tear of the anterior supraspinatus component of the rotator cuff tendon."

So some good news then., Just one tendon involved - and you don't have a whole lot of arthritic changes in your shoulder joint. Bicep Tendon situated normal which again is good.

Some evidence of fluid accumulation in a "bursa" Which is a fluid filled sac - that provides for a degree of cushioning as different surfaces in our body move across each other.

Fingers crossed for your specialist appt today

What did you learn at your appt today?

Checking in. Hope you had good news today

Long story short.......two months of PT!!!! If PT hasn't helped at the end of two months, he wants to go in with a scope to see if maybe it is a full tear that the MRI didn't show and repair it at that time. As of now, he feels I have a 75% chance of getting back to near normal without surgery, as far as looking at the MRI and x-rays.

He explained that this problem is very common as a person ages, since I couldn't tell him how I thought it happened. I felt a little rushed. I'm sure this was such a routine appt for him. However. I do believe he is one of the best docs in sport's medicine and I got good news. So, no complaints from the peanut section. I start PT next Tueaday which, BTW, is part of the group's office.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your personal stories and your advice. I'm hoping that PT will do the trick. I'll update if things change. To those of you going through this horrible pain, I will keep you in my prayers.

Good luck with pt. my favorite part is the massage at the end lol

I think you are getting good advice and a conservative approach from your doc. I would do anything to avoid surgery.
I also had a partial tear. My surgeon gave me a steroid shot in the shoulder to dampen down the inflammation and prepare for PT. Then I did the PT and home exercises to strengthen muscle. In the end, no surgery was needed. I continue to exercise and have remained pain free.
Good luck and let us know how you progress!

I hope the PT works for you.