Injured rotator cuff

See a physiotherapist. I also got a lot of help from a chiropractor that did deep tissue work. Time....give it logs of time. Avoid NSAIDs. Ice, Ice baby. Try to teach yourself to sleep on your back with your arms by you sides. When ready, start with eccentric exercises. Do not do any pushing exercises until completely healed. Using resistance bands, do Y, T and W pulls, face pulls, straight arm scapular pushups and pullups, etc. Your PT should be able to give you a proper routine depending on the extent of your injuries.

If you've torn a ligament in your rotator cuff, it will NOT heal because ligaments can NOT heal themselves.

I've torn ligaments in both shoulders at different times and as a result of different causes and the only "cure" to eliminate the pain and restore full function was surgery in both cases.

The only way to know for sure if you have a torn ligament is to get an MRI scan authorized by an orthopedic surgeon, which is what I suggest you do if you think you actually injured your rotator cuff.

If that is the case, any other treatment will only be ameliorative for the pain or discomfort but will not solve the underlying problem.

I'll repeat what already been said see the doctor and follow the PT schedule. I partially tore mine almost 2 years ago and it's still not what I'd consider 100% but it's certainly better but still feel weakness in it. The shoulder is a complicated beast and hard to really not use it to let things heal like other muscles. But resistance bands is what I use and still use to strengthen it. Just get it in your head depending on how bad it is it is a long long process and annoying might feel 100% one day and tweak it just a tad back to pain.

sijomial wrote: »

sgt1372 wrote: »

If you've torn a ligament in your rotator cuff, it will NOT heal because ligaments can NOT heal themselves.

@sgt1372
Not true.

There are different grades of ligament tears and grade one and two tears do repair themselves.
Grade one (minor injury) repairs the collagen structure in weeks, grade two (which has a very wide range of severity) typically heals in months.

Grade three tears are when there is a complete rupture (separation) of the ligament which is what you seem to be describing.

I've had numerous grade 1 tears (no big deal to recover from), took 6 months to recover from a high severity grade 2 medial knee ligament injury last year and have a grade 3 ligament tear (knee PCL) which couldn't be repaired.

Would the person who disagreed please speak up?
This information is easily verifiable. Put in a few seconds effort and it's blindingly obvious to anyone that healing of minor to moderate ligament tears is entirely normal and expected.

My PT gave me 8-9 exercises to do and others to avoid. My exercises might not be right for you. They've also been doing heat, then I finally got to ortho and it sounds like he's likely to recommend ice. Won't know for sure until after MRI. I suggest you talk to PT again and/or see orthopedics. Their advice will be specific to you, as opposed to random internet advice which may or may not be safe for your injury.