Torn rotator cuffs account for a lot of the shoulder injuries we see at Performance Pain & Sports Medicine. Our team, led by Dr. Matthias Wiederholz and Dr. Suzanne Manzi, provides effective treatment options to repair your torn rotator cuff and keep your shoulder joint working smoothly.
We treat new and existing patients with sports injuries and other types of shoulder pain from our locations in Houston and League City, Texas, and Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
You may have heard that some rotator cuff injuries can heal on their own. But don’t let that tempt you to skip getting your shoulder injury checked out by a professional! While it’s true that a small percentage of mild rotator cuff tears can heal without intervention, most can’t. And, if your rotator cuff injury isn’t handled correctly, you risk long-term shoulder dysfunction and chronic pain.
So, don’t risk it! If you think you could have a rotator cuff injury, let the PPSM team check you out and recommend the right treatment and recovery plan for you. If all you need is rest, we’ll let you know. And if you need more intensive treatment, you’ll receive the expert care you need promptly, increasing your chances for full shoulder joint restoration.
Rotator cuff injuries: from mild to severe
Your shoulder joint connects to your upper arm bone (humerus). The muscles and tendons of your rotator cuff keep the ball-and-socket part of your shoulder joint together and allow you to move your upper arm in its full range of motion.
Rotator cuff injuries can occur suddenly, due to an accident, trauma, or injury. Or, your rotator cuff tear may result after extended overuse. If you play sports that involve forceful shoulder rotation, like baseball or tennis, you have a higher risk of repetitive stress injuries to your rotator cuff.
Your injury could be mild, with a few small tears or strains. Or, you could suffer a complete rotator cuff tear, a more severe form of rotator cuff injury that will definitely need medical treatment and potentially surgery to heal.
When you experience a rotator cuff injury, your symptoms may include aching pain in your shoulder, pain when raising your arm, and shoulder joint weakness or dysfunction. If you notice these symptoms and think you might have injured your rotator cuff, get in touch with the team at PPSM right away for a professional evaluation.
Restoring your shoulder joint
Once your provider establishes the nature and severity of your rotator cuff injury, it’s time to look at what type of treatment, if any, you’ll need to restore your shoulder joint to full strength and pain-free range of motion.
If you have a minor rotator cuff injury, you might head home with simple instructions for rest and pain management. However, most rotator cuff injuries need more intervention to completely heal without leaving any lasting shoulder joint instability. Your odds of full recovery are higher the sooner you seek treatment.
Supporting your affected shoulder with a temporary sling can allow your rotator cuff time to rest and repair itself. You may need to explore physical therapy for your rotator cuff injury. Your provider at PPSM can also prescribe medications to fight inflammation in your body, as well as for pain management.
If you suffer a severe rotator cuff tear, especially if you want to return to sports or other types of intense physical activity after your recovery, you may need surgical rotator cuff repair. The team at PPSM uses minimally invasive techniques for your surgery whenever possible, keeping your recovery time brief.
To learn more about what you need to heal after a rotator cuff injury or tear, contact Performance Pain & Sports Medicine today. Call our location most convenient to you to schedule an appointment, or book online with our easy-to-use scheduling tool.
