The exercises are performed as the person leans toward the injured side with the arm hanging freely and slowly moving the arm in a circle. Initially, the circles are small. With improvement and decrease in pain the size of the circles enlarges. Also, holding a broom stick with both hands and moving them in a large arc while relaxing the affected shoulder can passively stretch the soft tissues. Later, active motion may be achieved by walking your fingers up a wall with the affected arm.
Older people have a much longer time to complete recovery.
Those having surgical repair have a high rate of recovery. When the rotator cuff tear is very large, the results even with surgery are poor. Fortunately, only a small percentage of people have such tears. Seek early medical attention if shoulder pain develops because of overuse. For both routine care and after surgery, work with a physical therapist.