| Rotator cuff muscles can occasionally get damaged. | | | | inflammation, which will help with the pain that can |
| This can happen as a result of injury or trauma to the | | | | come from the physical therapy. If the rotator cuff |
| shoulder. If rotator cuff tears are left to their own | | | | physical therapy does its job, there will be much less |
| demise, they do not heal well. Most generally, they will | | | | pain and inflammation in the joint, which can make the |
| either remain the same size or grow larger and get | | | | tear easier to live with. |
| much more painful. | | | | Surgery may become an option of the rotator cuff |
| The good news is that a tear doesn't have to heal | | | | physical therapy is not successful. The physician must |
| completely in order for the pain the other symptoms to | | | | first take into account the age of the patient and the |
| go away. It is possible for a person to have a tear to | | | | severity of the pain that is involved in the tear. The |
| their rotator cuff and not know it. Rotator cuff physical | | | | physician may be less anxious to do this surgery on an |
| therapy has one goal and that is to simply get rid of | | | | older patient. If the patient is younger, then physical |
| the symptoms of the tear, not to heal it. (That goal | | | | therapy is the place to start. |
| changes if the rotator cuff physical therapy is being | | | | The only exception to this is if the injury is severe and |
| done post-surgically.) | | | | traumatic. Then surgery will be the first course of |
| The very first thing the doctor will recommend is | | | | action. Following surgery, rotator cuff physical therapy |
| rotator cuff physical therapy. Anti-inflammatory | | | | will be done as a form of rehabilitation. This way, |
| medications and cortisone injections may be used in | | | | proper range of motion and appropriate strength to the |
| combination with rotator cuff physical therapy. They | | | | arm and shoulder will be restored. |
| are both designed to help reduce swelling and | | | | |