What causes Rotator Cuff Tears?
Rotator cuff tears may result from trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or falls onto the shoulder or outstretched hand. Patients with occupations that frequently require them to lift their arms over their heads, such as plumbers, painters, electricians and carpenters, are particularly at risk. Lifting a heavy object may lead to a tear. Athletes who play overhead sports, such as baseball, softball, volleyball and tennis may develop tears. Patients with curved acromions, or those with bone spurs, or arthritis in the shoulder are at risk. Older patients who dislocate their shoulder will frequently tear their cuffs. In some patients, the rotator cuff will tear due to age-related wear without an identified incident. What are the symptoms? Patients will complain of pain in the outside portion of the shoulder, especially at night. They point to the anterolateral area of the deltoid muscle as the chief source of pain. Although the problem is deep inside the shoulder joint, the brain interp
