Treatment for a Partial Tear in a Rotator Cuff

Partial tears of the shoulder's rotator cuff can be caused by overuse, repetitive movement or a trauma to the shoulder from a sports injury. This can be painful and interfere with daily activities and routines. If the tears are partial and not severe, they can be treated at home with success.

Initial Treatment

• With the first signs of having any shoulder pain, you should stop activities that aggravate the joint. Stop any over head reaching or the lifting of heavy objects. Assistance with driving and other daily activities may be needed. Ice the shoulder two or three times each day and take anti-inflammatory medication for the pain.

Heat Therapy

• Once the pain has subsided, use intermittent heat therapy. Using a heating pad, alternate the ice treatments with heat. This will draw blood to the area to help with the healing.

Stretching and Strengthening

• A stretching program is important to keep the shoulder muscles and tendons from getting stiff. Exercising will help improve shoulder strength. When starting a strengthening program, start without weights and gradually move towards exercising with light hand weights. Stretches and exercises should be done daily.

Maintenance

• To prevent future tears of the shoulder's rotator cuff, dedication to an exercise routine is essential to keeping the shoulder strong. Always warm up the shoulder muscles with light stretching prior to an activity that may put demands on the joint.

Professional Evaluation

• Consult with a sports doctor or orthopedic doctor if the pain and soreness continues after a couple of weeks. The doctors can evaluate the shoulder to determine the next steps for treatment.