A Torn Rotator Cuff Doesn't NEED To Mean Surgery

Remember that favorite peer of pants you had as aquickly, in others it takes more time. The difference is
kid? The ones that you wore and wore and wore untiloften in an understanding of the limitations of the
the material was so thin your mother picked them uprotator cuff. Returning to full duties at work, or getting
and threw them out? Well, that is what happens withstraight back into a competitive sport are the most
the rotator cuff in so many people. A torn rotator cuffcommon reasons for suffering a relapse of the injury.
is more a more common injury than any other type ofThe rotator cuff is designed to rotate the shoulder and
tendon tear. It is the result of constant use andalso to stabilize it. Rapid motion, and heavy resistances
abrasion between the shoulder ball join and thecan cause ongoing problems as the shoulder is not
shoulder cap. It is extremely common in athletes whogiven the time it needs to heal. This is true both in the
put a lot of tension on this area, but even normal wearcase of a physical therapy course and recovering
and tear can lead to this problem in middle agedfrom surgery. Even surgery is not a miracle cure that
people.will allow you to jump back into your life and do the
The normal recommendation for a rotator cuff tear isthings you did previously. With surgery there is a
surgery, and this can be scary as well as expensive.recovery period for the rotator cuff to return to it's
Maybe your medical insurance will cover it if you areformer strength.
lucky, maybe not. but surgery is not the only option. AEffective physical therapy courses center around
full recovery is possible with a specialized course ofgradually increasing the resistance and speed of
physio therapy to treat and strengthen the torn tendon.exercises so as not to put too much undue stress on
It is a time consuming course, but may be the bestthe rotator cuff. Over time the rotator tendons will
result in the long run.improve in strength and elasticity and you will be able
The recovery begins with an understanding of what isto do more of the things you used to do. The key is a
involved and a realistic assessment of the outcome.good sensible physical therapy course, and the
To begin with you can't rush it. In some peoplepatience to work through the course at a pace that
recovery from a rotator cuff injury happens verysuits your body.