What is the rotator cuff?
Your rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that support your shoulder joint. These tissues ensure the ball portion of your humerus (upper arm bone) remains properly situated in the socket portion of your scapula (shoulder blade). Without your rotator cuff, you wouldn’t be able to lift your arm over your head or rotate your arms.
A rotator cuff tear occurs when these muscles or tendons are damaged. The tear can be partial or complete, and the problem can arise suddenly or develop slowly over time.
What are some symptoms of a torn rotator cuff?
Minor tears don’t always present clear symptoms. As the damage worsens, you might notice these changes in your shoulder joint:
- Inability to fully lift your arm
- Sensation of weakness in your shoulder
- Pain when moving your arm or while lying down
- Sounds of popping or clicking when you move your arm
- Inability to lift things normally
Though some minor muscle and tendon damage will heal on its own, many rotator cuff tears will worsen if left untreated. Schedule an exam with Dr. Saylor to determine the extent of the damage and begin a customized treatment path.
What if my torn rotator cuff requires surgical repair?
Some rotator cuff tears will heal after a period of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications. In other cases, however, surgical intervention is the best treatment option.
Dr. Saylor has extensive experience in all types of rotator cuff surgery. He can complete most repairs using minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques that require only a few small incisions.
Dr. Saylor is highly skilled in labral repairs, revision repairs, biceps tenodesis, and additional shoulder repair procedures. He specializes in arthroscopic double row rotator cuff repairs, a technique that sutures damaged tendons using anchors on both the medial and lateral areas of the repair site.
To explore these and other treatment options in greater detail, call Dr. Saylor at Orthopaedic Care Specialists to book a visit, or try the simple online booking tool to find a time that fits your busy schedule.
