CONDITION - Rotator Cuff Tear

What is a rotator cuff tear?

A rotator cuff tear occurs when the tendonitis in the rotator cuff gets so bad that it wears a hole through the rotator cuff tendon. Since the tendon is what connects the rotator cuff muscle to your humerus bone, when the tendon is torn, you have weakness in the shoulder. Usually these tears occur in people who have had shoulder pain for some time (called a "chronic rotator cuff tear"). This is, by far, the most common type of rotator cuff tear.

However, tears sometimes happen in people who do not have a history of shoulder problems. These people try to lift something that is too heavy and feel a pop in their shoulder, usually with immediate pain (this is called an "acute rotator cuff tear").