Austin Rotator Cuff Doctor

What is a rotator cuff tear?

Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, the most flexible joint in the body, that is made up of various bones, muscles, and tendons. The three bones that form your shoulder joint are the upper arm bone (humerus), the shoulder blade (scapula), and the clavicle (collarbone). The head of the humerus acts as the ball, and a hollow groove in the scapula acts as the shoulder socket, allowing a full range of motion.

Your rotator cuff, which is made up of several rotator cuff muscles and rotator cuff tendons, covers the surface of the humeral head and connects the upper arm to the socket. It stabilizes the glenohumeral joint and enables smooth shoulder motion and shoulder function. Damage to the supraspinatus tendon or other rotator cuff tendons, such as a subscapularis tear or bicep tendon injury, can lead to a torn rotator cuff, often requiring a treatment plan that may include conservative treatment or advanced surgical procedure.

A rotator cuff tear occurs when there is a break in one or more of your rotator cuff tendon tissues, weakening or separating the connection between the tendons and the upper arm bone, sometimes requiring shoulder surgery or adult reconstructive surgery. There are two types of tendon tears: a partial rotator cuff tear (or partial thickness tears) and a full-thickness rotator cuff tear. With a partial tear, the tendon is damaged but not fully split. When the tendon is completely torn, it is called a complete tear or a large and massive tear.

A massive rotator cuff tear separates the tendon entirely from the bone, often leading to muscle atrophy, shoulder weakness, shoulder instability, and reduced shoulder strength in the affected shoulder. Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and shoulder joint disability among adults and can involve torn tendons that affect shoulder muscles and tendons essential for arm movement, often treated by Austin rotator cuff doctor using advanced surgical techniques and minimally invasive techniques.

What causes the rotator cuff to tear?

Most rotator cuff tears are degenerative, meaning the tendon gradually wears down over time due to rotator cuff injury or damage and repetitive stress often seen in sports medicine cases. This degenerative tear process is common with aging, especially in people over 40 who have a higher risk of developing rotator cuff problems or asymptomatic tears. Genetics may also play a role in the likelihood of developing rotator cuff issues, contributing to shoulder injuries and stiffness that may require comprehensive care from rotator cuff specialists.

Factors that may cause a rotator cuff injury include:

• Repetitive stress — Certain activities, sports like tennis, baseball, and weightlifting, or jobs that require heavy lifting and repetitive overhead motion, can result in overuse and tendon tears such as slap tears.
• Decrease in blood supply — Limited blood flow reduces the body’s ability to heal injured shoulder tendons, which can contribute to symptomatic rotator cuff tears and frozen shoulder conditions.
• Bone spurs — A type of rotator cuff disease where overgrowths irritate tendons, increasing the risk of tearing and sometimes leading to the need for shoulder replacement surgery.
• Traumatic injury — A fall on an outstretched arm, improper lifting, or direct impact can cause a sudden, severe acute tear requiring evaluation by an Austin rotator cuff specialist using the latest technology for diagnosis and treatment.

Other risk factors include poor posture, smoking (which negatively impacts tendon health and healing), obesity, type 2 diabetes, and stress on the opposite shoulder. Falling, improper lifting, and other shoulder injuries can cause the rotator cuff to tear and may require shoulder surgery.

What are the symptoms of a torn rotator cuff?

Depending on the type of tear, rotator cuff tear symptoms can range from mild discomfort to intense pain. Some patients experience asymptomatic tears, while others report common symptoms such as:

• Shoulder pain when lifting your arm, which may worsen with repetitive overhead motion
• Arm pain or a dull ache deep in the affected shoulder that can radiate down the arm
• Arm weakness or muscle weakness when rotating or lifting, impacting shoulder strength and function
• Severe pain or night pain disrupting sleep, especially in cases of acute tears
• A “crackling” or “snapping” feeling with shoulder movements due to tendon damage
• Arm weakness during external rotation or when performing a drop arm test, indicating a reduced range of motion
• Shoulder weakness and reduced mobility in the injured shoulder, leading to difficulty with daily activities

Left untreated, rotator cuff pain may worsen, leading to chronic shoulder conditions, muscle atrophy, or even patellofemoral arthritis–like degeneration in the shoulder, so many patients in the Austin TX area seek treatment from a skilled sports medicine physician or rotator cuff tear doctor.

How can I tell if I have torn my rotator cuff?

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms or believe you have a torn rotator cuff, an evaluation by an experienced rotator cuff specialist in Austin, Texas can help determine the cause of your symptoms.

To help get your rotator cuff tear diagnosed, your doctor will begin by going over your medical history and symptoms, including whether the torn rotator cuff is in your dominant arm, which is more commonly affected.

Next, your doctor will perform a physical exam and physical examination of your shoulder, looking for any signs of tenderness on the rotator cuff muscles or abnormalities. Your doctor may also ask that you perform certain tasks, such as external rotation or a drop arm test, to help assess your mobility and shoulder strength.

To ensure that your symptoms are not the result of similar conditions, your Austin rotator cuff specialist may also examine your neck for signs of a pinched nerve or other conditions. If you’re wondering how a rotator cuff tear is diagnosed, your rotator cuff tear doctor may also need to perform additional testing. Additional testing may include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed under general anesthesia when necessary and the most accurate diagnostic imaging for rotator cuff tears, ultrasounds, or tests to evaluate rotator cuff pathology and identify severe rotator cuff tears, a possible re-tear, or asymptomatic tears.

Can a torn rotator cuff lead to complications if left untreated?

Left untreated, a rotator cuff tear can increase in size, progressing from minor tears or a partial rotator cuff tear to a full-thickness tear, and lead to additional damage such as muscle atrophy and chronic shoulder pain, potentially requiring surgery with a longer recovery time. With early rotator cuff tear treatment from an Austin rotator cuff surgeon like Dr. M. Tyrrell Burrus, MD, in the Austin area, you can help reduce pain, protect the rotator cuff from further damage, and return to your daily activities and routines with a goal of full recovery.

How is a torn rotator cuff treated?

If you are suffering from a rotator cuff tear and are seeking pain relief, there are treatment options available. Based on various factors, such as the type of rotator cuff tear, your age, health, and activity level, treatment will vary.

Here at our practice, whenever possible, we aim to first recommend nonsurgical treatments to help restore mobility, alleviate rotator cuff pain, and prevent progression of damage. Nonsurgical rotator cuff tear treatment may include:

• Resting and avoiding overhead activities to reduce repetitive stress on the rotator cuff tendons
• Utilizing a sling to help stabilize the injured shoulder and limit shoulder motion
• Avoiding activities that induce shoulder pain to prevent further rotator cuff damage
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to bring down swelling and pain associated with rotator cuff injury
• Physical therapy exercises, including stretching exercises and strengthening routines, to improve shoulder strength, restore range of motion, and enhance shoulder function
• Steroid injections to help relieve pain and inflammation in symptomatic rotator cuff tears

When nonsurgical treatment options are ineffective, or if you have a complete rotator cuff tear, severe pain, or wish to return to a high level of sporting activity, our Austin rotator cuff surgeon who also specializes in and offers surgical techniques and treatment options for shoulder injuries such as arthroscopy and open shoulder surgery, may recommend surgery to help effectively treat and repair a torn rotator cuff.

Schedule A Shoulder Joint Consultation With an Austin Rotator Cuff Doctor

If you are experiencing symptoms of a rotator cuff tear, a consultation with an Austin rotator cuff surgeon may be the first step towards diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. M. Tyrrell Burrus, MD is an experienced fellowship-trained specialist in Austin, Texas, who is dedicated to providing high-quality, specialized, holistic care to patients for rotator cuff tears, impingement of the shoulder, labral damage, and arthritic changes within the shoulder joint under one roof, right here in Austin, TX.

Call (512) 324-9170 or fill out the form on this page to schedule an appointment for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, open rotator cuff surgery, or any other advanced rotator cuff tear treatment.