Supraspinatus Tear

Infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor muscles and the tendons make up the rotator cuff. These muscles attach to the upper arm bone and the shoulder through the tendons and facilitate a wide range of motions. If the tendons attached to these rotator cuff muscles get ruptured or develop tears, the movement of the shoulder can get greatly restricted.

The supraspinatus muscle is located at the top of the shoulder blade. It arises from supraspinatus fossa, a depression above the spine of the scapula, which is a bone that connects the upper arm bone to the collarbone. This muscle allows us to move the arm upwards and away from the body. The range of the motion of the muscle is between 60 and 120 degrees. Besides facilitating the movement of the arm, this muscle also helps in the stabilizing the glenohumeral joint, the ball and socket joint, wherein the head of the humerus fits into the glenoid cavity. Since this muscle helps in moving the arm upwards, a person suffering from a supraspinatus tear is likely to experience shoulder pain while lifting the arm.

Supraspinatus Tendon Tear

Causes and Symptoms

The supraspinatus tendon is more prone to develop tears or rupture due to a rotator cuff injury.Those who play sports such as tennis, rowing or kayaking are also at a risk of developing a torn supraspinatus tendon. Repetitive stress to the shoulder could also give rise to a partial tear. An injury to the shoulder or formation of a bone spur in the shoulder could cause a supraspinatus muscle tear. Lifting weights overhead or sudden jerky movements could also cause stress on the tendon and muscles in the shoulder-joint complex. If this tendon develops a tear or becomes inflamed, one is most likely to experience rotator cuff pain while lifting the arm.

Treatment

If you have been experiencing recurrent shoulder pain, you must consult a doctor soon. An X-ray examination can help the doctors ascertain the extent of injury. The treatment generally involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers. If the pain is severe, the use of steroid injections might also be recommended. It is extremely important that the patient takes ample rest. One must never indulge in any activity that causes stress to the rotator cuff. One must not carry heavy objects. A lack of aftercare will undoubtedly slow down the process of recovery. Once the muscle or the tendon has healed considerably, one could go for physical therapy sessions and perform exercises suggested by the physiotherapist. If medicines are not really working and one's range of motion is adversely affected, doctors might recommend rotator cuff surgery. The surgeon will make an open incision and remove the damaged tissues or bone spurs. If the tendon had separated from the bone, it will be attached with sutures. The incision will then be closed and dressing will be applied. Once the patient has recovered from the surgery, performing exercises that will help strengthen the shoulder joint.

Development of tears in the supraspinatus tendon or muscle gives rise to shoulder pain. It may also restrict the range of motion of the shoulder joint. If you have been experiencing shoulder pain, make sure that you get yourself medically examined. A timely diagnosis and treatment will definitely help you recover from a rotator cuff injury.