Sunday, May 19, 2024

How to tear a rotator cuff

 This is one way. Begin by sitting on your front step on a bright sunny day, observing the lilies of the valley growing by your doorstep. If you watch closely, you can see them unfurling their leaves, kind of popping open. After a while, lean forward and pull a few weeds that are growing right beneath the step. Noticing that there are more grass and weeds growing between the bricks on the walkway, decide to leave the step to sit on the ground so as to better deal with what is growing between the bricks.

   When you feel you've done enough manual labor for the day, decide to quit and sit back on the step. There is a single step leading up to the stoop itself, but since you're feeling strong and capable, don't just heft your weight to the bottom step but do a single motion directly onto the stoop, not a great distance, a mere 14 inches actually. You certainly must have done the same in the past: just put both arms behind you onto the top step, and lift yourself up. 

  But on this day, just as you reach the top step, you hear a snapping noise and feel a burst of searing pain at the top of your right shoulder.  Ouch, that hurt, you think. But the worst is yet to come. Your arm is dangling, useless. You realize you're in trouble. So you seek medical attention, with x-rays showing no broken bones. 

 But the MRI tells its own tale: an all-thickness tear of 2 of the tendons, scapularis tendinosis with partial-thickness tearing of the superior fibers, some edema in the teres minor muscle, torn biceps tendon, torn labrum, AC joint degeneration, full thickness cartilage loss of the glenoid, joint effusion along with the bursa tear and bursal fluid, likely tear to the biceps tendon, and a few other issues. 

The summary is a "Complete Right Rotator Cuff Tear"  and the Protocol is Physical Therapy for 6-8 weeks with Strengthening and Home Program Exercises. "Advance to full range of motion as tolerated."  The young and confident DPT,  Doctor of Physical Therapy if you please,  says the prognosis is good. Yay.

  

   

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