Shoulder Tear Treatment

Shoulder tear is a health problem that can be seen in people of all ages. Shoulder tears, which usually occur with traumatic situations in young people, are seen as degenerative tears in older people (tears that occur due to the effect of wear and tear on the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder over time). The incidence of degenerative tears is higher. The treatment of shoulder tear varies from person to person. There are different treatment methods, especially physical therapy and rehabilitation, and the patient’s condition is decisive in choosing the treatment method.

You can read the rest of our article to get more information about shoulder tear. You can visit our clinic in Ankara to get more detailed information about shoulder tears and treatment; You can contact Dr. Nural Aydın.

What Is a Shoulder Tear?

The rotator cuff muscles are the shoulder muscles that are located around the shoulder in such a way that they make rotational movements. We use our rotator muscles quite a lot in our daily lives. These muscles work when we lift our arms, hold objects, throw, play sports, and many other physical activities. The active use of the rotator muscle group in our daily lives makes this area vulnerable to trauma.

Shoulder tears are usually tears in the rotator cuff tendons that provide movement of the shoulder. We can say that the majority of shoulder diseases are related to these rotator sheath muscles. Onset of tears; It can manifest itself in the form of degeneration (deterioration) of tendons in the area or rupture of tendons.

How Does a Shoulder Tear Happen?

We can talk about two factors in the formation of shoulder tears:

Tears caused by traumatic situations: In cases that strain the muscles such as falling above the shoulder or hanging in one place, tears may occur in the rotator sheath.

(Degenerative) tears that form over time: Over time, due to the use of rotator muscles, tears may occur with the deterioration and thinning of the tendon structure. Abrasion on the tendons develops gradually, over time. We can also say that the incidence of degenerative tears increases from the fifties onwards. In such tears, although the risk increases with age, there may also be shoulder tears in young people and athletes. Performing repetitive shoulder movements as required by profession can trigger the formation of degenerative tears.

The incidence of degenerative tears is higher than traumatic tears.

What Are the Symptoms of a Shoulder Tear?

Shoulder pain

Fatigue and weakness in the arm

Arm pains that occur during rest at night

Pain when using the arm in everyday activities (lying on top shelves, lifting things up, etc.)Limitation of movement

In some cases, although there is a shoulder tear, pain may not be seen. The pain can only be felt when there are triggers.

Who Has a Shoulder Tear?

People aged 50 and overPeople

and athletes who do sports where shoulder use is intense (golf, tennis, swimming, etc.)

People who work in professions with repetitive shoulder movements (painters, etc.) are in the risk group for shoulder tear.

With advancing age, the incidence of the disease increases due to wear and tear on the rotator muscles. In addition to age, shoulder tears may occur in traumatic situations such as falling on the shoulder and pressure applied to the shoulder. Depending on the use of the shoulder, there is also the possibility of it being seen in teenagers and athletes.

How is a shoulder tear diagnosed?

In order to diagnose a shoulder tear, the patient’s history is listened to first. A detailed physical examination is performed by the physician and imaging methods such as x-ray, ultrasound, MRI are used. A shoulder tear can be diagnosed by evaluating all the results.

How is Shoulder Tear Treatment Done?

The tear must be treated in order to improve the patient’s quality of life and to give the shoulder the capacity to move. Early diagnosis and treatment are important in terms of preventing the progression of the disease and eliminating the complaints. With the physical therapy and rehabilitation applications started in the early period, shoulder tear can be treated without the need for surgical procedure.

The main purpose of shoulder tear treatments; elimination of pain and restoration of the functionality lost to the shoulder / arm. In the process of treatment, it is necessary to strengthen the muscles around the shoulders. The first method of use in the treatment of shoulder tears is physical therapy and rehabilitation. The most appropriate treatment plan is applied for the patient by evaluating the patient’s age, gender, profession, sports and activity intensity, general health status and the condition of the tear.

The role of physical therapy in the treatment of shoulder tear is great. In mild to moderate shoulder tears that do not require surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation may be sufficient. If the patient is going to undergo a surgical operation, physical therapy is also needed to heal the tissues and to eliminate the immobility caused by the operation. After surgery, according to the patient’s condition and the healing process, it is aimed to return the patient to normal life with passive, semi-passive, semi-active and then active movements. Raising the patient’s awareness about home exercises in order to fully heal the tissues and tendons is also part of the physical therapy process.

You can contact our clinic and make an appointment to get more information about shoulder tear treatment in Ankara.