How to Diagnose a Rotater Cuff Tear

The rotator cuff is a system of muscles and tendons that keeps the upper arm bone, called the humerus, in place with the shoulder joint. Your rotator cuff, true to its name, enables you to rotate your arm, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Physicians. Repetitive action or injury can cause the rotator cuff to tear. A physical exam and imaging studies can diagnose a tear in the rotator cuff.

Things You'll Need

• X-ray
• MRI

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Instructions

• 1

  Report symptoms consistent with a torn rotator cuff to your doctor. People who sustain this type of injury experience arm and shoulder pain, especially when lifting and lowering their arm. You might also feel weak in your arm when performing these actions. Some people hear a cracking sound when moving their arm and shoulder. The medical term for the cracking or popping noise or sensation is called crepitus.

• 2

  Schedule a physical exam, in which your doctor can assess your shoulder and determine whether the rotator cuff has a tear, or whether it is just strained. Rotator cuff tendinitis is an inflammation of the muscles and tendons that does not include a tear, according to the National Institutes of Health. Your physician might find that the affected muscles have atrophied if you have a tear.

• 3

  Take X-rays or have an MRI done of your shoulder to accurately diagnose a rotator cuff tear. X-rays may not always show a tear, but, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a small protrusion called a spur may be visible. MRI or an ultrasound shows all of the soft tissues in your arm and shoulder, and will reveal a tear.