What Is a Rotator Cuff Tear?
Hearing the word “tear” is never fun, especially when it comes to your shoulder. Nearly 70% of people will experience shoulder pain in their lifetime, and the rotator cuff is often the culprit. Even I have a partial tear of my right supraspinatus muscle, hello tennis player of 20+ years….
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis, whose tendons attach around the top of the arm bone. Together, they keep the shoulder stable and initiate movement. Every time you reach, lift, or rotate your arm, they’re hard at work.
Tears occur when these tendons are pushed past their limits, either from a sudden load (like a fall or heavy lift) or slow wear and tear over time.
Types of Rotator Cuff Tears
Rotator cuff tears can be partial (incomplete) or full thickness (complete tear).
Partial Tears: More common, often cause pain and weakness with daily tasks like pouring coffee, putting on a bra, or reaching overhead. Some people, however, may have a partial tear with no symptoms at all.
Complete Tears: Tendon fully separates from bone, leading to significant pain, weakness, and loss of function.
Interestingly, imaging doesn’t always match symptoms. You may have an old tear that looks concerning on an MRI but isn’t what’s actually causing pain.
Who Gets Rotator Cuff Tears?
Weakness & Imbalances: Range of motion, rotator cuff muscle weakness, and training load are important modifiable factors associated with shoulder injuries.
Age Related: Partial tears are more common after your 30s, especially in women.
Degenerative Changes as you age as well.
Athletes & active individuals: Sports with repetitive overhead motion (tennis, baseball, swimming) increase risk.
Everyday strain: Even lifting groceries awkwardly or catching yourself in a fall can trigger a tear.
Additional Factors includes increased blood glucose levels, high blood pressure, high weight, and smoking.
Two At-Home Tips
Managing most rotator cuff tears starts conservatively (not with surgery). Try these simple strategies:
Shoulder CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)
Slowly move your arm through its biggest comfortable circle without shrugging.
This helps maintain mobility and keeps tissues nourished.
Do 3–5 circles each way daily.
Isometric External Rotation Hold
Stand with your elbow bent at 90° and tucked at your side.
Press your hand outward into a wall or resistance band without moving your elbow.
Hold for 10–15 seconds, repeat 3–5 times.
Builds gentle stability without overloading the tendon.
Key tip: work within a pain-free range — you’re aiming to activate and nourish, not irritate.
When to Seek Care
If you’re dealing with ongoing pain, night-time shoulder aches, or loss of strength, it’s time to get checked. Early conservative management, like Active Release, acupuncture, corrective exercise, and chiropractic care, often helps avoid the need for surgery IF it is not a complete full tear or bone on bone pain causation.
At Well Co Chiropractic in Sarasota, we help patients restore shoulder movement, rebuild strength, and return to the activities they love.
