Physical therapy treatment for rotator cuff tear

If you've had a rotator cuff tear, physical therapy will be important to help you regain shoulder strength and range of motion.

Table of Contents Show

1. Pendulum swing
2. Crossover arm stretch
3. Standing row
4. Internal rotation
5. Posterior stretch
Learn more:
What is the rotator cuff?
What causes a rotator cuff injury?
What are common symptoms of a rotator cuff injury
What role does physical therapy play in a rotator cuff injury?
Physical Therapists in Virginia for your Rotator Cuff Injury
Can you heal a torn rotator cuff with physical therapy?
What kind of physical therapy is used for rotator cuff?
What is the best therapy for rotator cuff injury?
How long is physical therapy for rotator cuff tear?

Here are examples of several typical exercises and stretches you may encounter on your road to recovery.

1. Pendulum swing

Stand to the side of a table, steady chair, or railing and place the hand of your uninjured arm on the object for stability.
Gently lean forward without rounding the back and allow the affected arm to dangle freely. Then, lightly move this arm forward and back.
Starting in the same position, move your arm in and out (side-to-side).
Starting in the same position, move your arm in small circles. Start in a clockwise motion, then reverse and do it counterclockwise.
Repeat the exercise with the other arm.

See Rotator Cuff Injuries: Symptoms

2. Crossover arm stretch

Stand up straight and relax your shoulders. Take a few deep breaths if you need to relax.
Stretch the affected arm across your chest, but below your chin; reach as far as possible.
The healthy arm helps by holding the elbow area of the affected arm.
When performing this exercise, you should feel a stretch—not pain.
Repeat the exercise with the other arm.

Watch: Video: Crossover Shoulder Stretch

3. Standing row

This exercise involves a stretch band, tied at the ends to make a three-foot loop.
Attach one end of the loop to a steady object like a doorknob and face it.
Hold the other end in one hand, and stand far back enough so there is little or no slack in the band.
With your arm bent at the elbow at a 90-degree angle and close to your body, pull the elbow back.
Repeat the exercise with the other arm.

See Rotator Cuff Injuries: Causes and Risk Factors

4. Internal rotation

Like a standing row, this exercise involves a stretch band tied at the ends to make a three-foot loop.
Attach one end of the loop to a steady object like a doorknob; stand to the side and hold the band in the hand of your affected arm.
Bend your elbow to a 90-degree angle and keep it close to your body. Then, bring the forearm over the midsection of the body.
Repeat the exercise with the other arm.

5. Posterior stretch

Stand up and relax the shoulders.
The hand of the uninjured arm holds the elbow region of the injured one.
The hand of the injured arm crosses the body and rests on the opposite shoulder.
The hand of the uninjured arm lightly pushes the affected arm up and over the body, eliciting a stretch.
Repeat the exercise with the other arm.

Your physician or physical therapist will typically specify the types of exercises and number of repetitions to fit your needs and goals. He or she will also instruct you in the correct exercise technique, as well as pain management approaches. For example, icing immediately after stretching helps calm inflammation; your health care provider can show you how best to apply ice or a cold pack.

See Rotator Cuff Injuries: Initial Treatment

As with any exercise program, work with closely with your doctor and/or physical therapist to make sure you're doing the correct exercises with the right form. You want to ensure you are performing the recommended stretches and exercises correctly; adjustments may be needed if you feel pain. As a general rule, exercising should not be overly painful. If you experience pain stop and consult with your health care provider before continuing.

See Rotator Cuff Injuries: Diagnosis

The rotator cuff has an important role: securing your upper arm bone (humerus) and enabling shoulder movement. Following your prescribed physical therapy program can help restore your shoulder to normal function after a tear, and get you back to the activities you enjoy!

See Soft Tissues of the Shoulder

Learn more:

See Rotator Cuff Injuries

See Rotator Cuff Injections

on March 4, 2019

What is the rotator cuff?

The rotator cuff if a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, allowing the shoulder to move while keeping it stable. This mobility and stability is needed for everyday activities but becomes extremely critical for athletes that put a lot of stress on their shoulders. The rotator cuff is one of the common injured areas that we treat at Advanced Kinetics.

What causes a rotator cuff injury?

While athletes are often known to injury their rotator cuff, anybody that repeatedly performs an overhead motion during the course of their job or during the day is susceptible to a rotator cuff injury like painters, electricians, and carpenters. The risk of rotator cuff injury also increases as you get older.

Most rotator cuff injuries fall into one of these three categories: tendinitis, bursitis, and strains/tears.

Tendinitis is caused by the overuse of the rotator cuff causing it to become inflamed. This often happens to those that have to reach overhead often to perform their job.
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that sits between the tendons of the rotator cuff and the shoulder bones.
Rotator cuff strains and tears are caused by overuse or an acute injury, like a fall, car accident, sports, or another sudden injury. These kinds of injuries usually cause intense pain.

What are common symptoms of a rotator cuff injury

There are few symptoms that are associated with a rotator cuff injury: pain when trying to rotate your shoulder for simple tasks such as combing your hair, reaching behind your back, or sleep on the shoulder; pain further down the outside of the arm from the shoulder; and difficulty sleeping due to throbbing pain.

Besides these symptoms, you may also notice swelling and tenderness in the front of your should, loss of strength, or a clicking sound when you raise your arm above your head.

What role does physical therapy play in a rotator cuff injury?

While physical therapy itself cannot heal a torn rotator cuff tendon, it does strengthen the shoulder muscles and restoring shoulder mechanics. By strengthening all the surrounding muscles, therapy can help compensate for the damaged tendons and improve the mechanics of the shoulder joint. It is also important for your physical therapist to focus on scapular strengthening as well as the scapula (shoulder blade) provides the foundation for shoulder stability.

Physical therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option for rotator cuff injuries. Here at Advanced Kinetics, we provide patients with an individualized treatment plan that will contain exercises to improve the strength and control of the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. Your physical therapist will work with you to help retrain these muscles to keep everything in place while you use your shoulder, bringing your range of motion back.

In an ideal world, physical therapy treatment for a rotator cuff injury includes reducing pain; restoring motion, postureal training, and body mechanics; and reconditioning of the shoulder so that you can return living your life and using your shoulder as you were before.

Physical Therapists in Virginia for your Rotator Cuff Injury

If you find that your shoulder bothers you at the end of the day, or that the pain in your shoulder now keeps you from playing with your kids, you may have a rotator cuff injury. Many people suffer from this pain, but you don’t have to! Advanced Kinetics has been the leading sports physical therapy in the Washington DC metro area with two convenient locations in Falls Church and our brand new facility in McLean. Call us at today to schedule an appointment

This blog will help you get the most out of your physical therapy and the community of Advanced Kinetics Physical Therapy and Sports Performance. AKPT is reinventing physical therapy, embracing all aspects of movement from treatment, into recovery and on to injury prevention. You may read this and think of your friends, family and coworkers. You may realize that AKPT can do more for you than you previously knew. Read. Share. Act. Use this reinvention of physical therapy to reinvent yourself and your peak performance.

Advanced Kinetics – Reinventing Physical Therapy

Can you heal a torn rotator cuff with physical therapy?

What kind of physical therapy is used for rotator cuff?

Generally, your rotator cuff rehab will start with gentle range of motion exercises. This can be accomplished by using your arms to lift a wand or cane overhead. Shoulder pulleys may improve shoulder range of motion and flexibility. Isometric exercises for your rotator cuff muscles may then be started.

What is the best therapy for rotator cuff injury?

Therapy. Physical therapy is usually one of the first treatments suggested. Exercises tailored to the specific location of your rotator cuff injury can help restore flexibility and strength to your shoulder. Physical therapy is also an important part of the recovery process after rotator cuff surgery.

How long is physical therapy for rotator cuff tear?

Generally, a patient wears a sling for the first two to three weeks and begins physical therapy one week after surgery. The physical therapy program typically lasts for three to four months.