Can exercises help rotator cuff tears?
While prompt surgery is usually recommended for acute cuff tears in generally healthy shoulders, exercises may be helpful in maintaining the flexibility and strength of joints with long-standing cuff tears. In most cases, these exercises can be done in the patient’s home with little equipment. Shoulder exercises are best performed gently several times a day on an ongoing basis. The exercises are not dangerous if they are performed gently so that they do not risk enlarging the cuff tear. The figures show two examples of these exercises. The illustration on the left shows the patient using the left arm to help lift the stiff right shoulder in a forward direction. The illustration on the right shows the patient using the left arm to gently stretch the stiff right arm in external rotation using a yardstick. Sometimes physical therapists suggest other types of therapy. Patients should learn the possible risks of these approaches as well as their costs and anticipated effectiveness. Specific
