Not sure your rotator cuff is torn? Three symptoms say yes

Torn Rotator Cuff Symptoms

You may be reaching overhead to put something on a shelf, and you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your shoulder. If you’ve experienced a situation like this, there’s a good chance that you have a torn rotator cuff. There are three symptoms of this injury that indicate you’ve injured this important shoulder structure. 

1.   Shoulder pain

The rotator cuff is a structure made up of four muscles and tendons, and it’s intended to keep your upper arm bone seated firmly in your shoulder socket. When you have a torn rotator cuff, the most noticeable symptom will be pain in the shoulder. The pain may be intense in cases where the injury occurs suddenly, or it can build over time if the tear develops as a result of repetitive motions you do. Your pain may be especially intense when lying on your shoulder at night. It may also get stronger when you’re lifting or lowering your arm.  

2.   Weakness in the shoulder

Another symptom that typically happens when people tear a rotator cuff is shoulder weakness. This symptom can make it much more difficult to lift or rotate your arm, and doing normal daily activities like combing your hair may become harder to do as a result. A tear in this muscle group can also make it harder for people to grip objects, and this may impact you when doing things like lifting a glass to drink or when picking up your keys from the table. 

3.   Abnormal shoulder sounds or sensations

Hearing sounds or feeling sensations in your shoulder that you’ve never noticed before can also be a symptom of a torn rotator cuff. Some people may notice a grating sound or sensation when moving their shoulder. The medical term for this is crepitus. Other people report hearing crackling or popping sounds when moving their shoulder. If you’re hearing such sounds, it’s a strong indication you need to seek treatment for your rotator cuff. 

Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help treat your shoulder injuries

At Excel Sports & Physical Therapy, we have11 clinics in the greater St. Louis, Missouri, area. We’ve helped many patients treat shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff tears. Our team can help you deal with your injury by building you a personalized treatment plan. This plan may include physical therapy techniques such as: 

Take the next step to find relief at one of our clinics. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.