In older patients a rotator cuff tear may result from too much heavy lifting or may result from the muscles rubbing against the overlying acromion. The main symptoms are weakness and pain. Treatment for Rotator Cuff Tears - Treatment is surgery to repair the cuff. We usually do this as an outpatient. Some cuff tears are so large or so old that they can not be repaired.
Rehabilitation is long and requires a lot of work by the patient.
Often one needs to use a Physical Therapist. Sometimes the shoulder will just come part-way out, called a subluxation. Subluxations will usually slip back into place by themselves, but true dislocations usually need to be pulled back into place by someone else, a friend or a trained medical person. After the first 1 or 2 episodes of dislocation, we usually treat the shoulder with rest, a sling and then exercises to strengthen the muscles. However because there are ligaments torn, often the shoulder continues to slip out of place.