Repairing Partial Rotator Cuff Tears Without Using Surgery
Partial rotator cuff tears are common in baseball pitchers. Tommy John surgery is an option for repairing this damage, but much less invasive methods are available. We will discuss the rehabilitation of partial rotator cuff tears and how to manage these injuries.
What is a partial rotator cuff tear?
Partial rotator cuff tear or damage occurs when the tendons tear away from the bone where they attach. This is typically caused by excessive stress on the tendon, which can happen during sports or other physical activity. The result is pain and stiffness in your shoulder.
Who is most affected by the partial tear?
Partial rotator cuff tears usually affect people 40 years or older. It is caused by aging, repetitive movements, or an injury. Also, it affects more senior people who may have worn out their deltoid muscles and torn the tendons of the rotator cuffs. They can even affect younger people with an injury or overuse.
How to repair partial rotator cuff tear
The following are ways to repair this condition:
Using biologics to repair partial rotator cuff tears
Biologics are medications made out of living cells, and they’re used to treat a range of conditions. They work by stimulating your body’s natural healing process, similar to the way ice does when you sprain your ankle. The goal is to help your body repair itself without having to take any medications or go under the knife/surgery.
This treatment involves needle injection into your skin to deliver the biologics into your body. The biologic then travels through your bloodstream until it reaches its destination, the shoulder muscle. Once there, it stimulates cell growth to repair damage caused by injury or degeneration of your rotator cuff tendon.
Types of biologics used to treat partial rotator cuff tears
The two common types of biologics for treating partial rotator cuff tears include:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
The first type is platelet-rich plasma (PRP). A small amount of the patient’s blood is taken and injected into the torn area. The blood contains platelets, which help the body heal itself by promoting tissue growth. When the blood is injected into the tear, it helps promote healing and reduces pain caused by inflammation.
Autologous conditioned serum (ACS)
ACS is similar to PRP but uses a different technique to extract the blood from the patient. It also requires less time to complete than PRP, so patients experience minor discomfort during and after treatment.
This treatment involves taking tissues from other body areas, such as the belly or buttocks, for a small tear. In this procedure, doctors take healthy cells from your body (the chondrocytes) and grow them in a culture dish until they form new cartilage growths called chondrocytes. Then the new cartilage growths are implanted into the damaged area, where they grow into normal parts of healthy tissue again.
Conclusion
Partial rotator cuff tears can be hard to manage, but there are ways to help prevent further damage from taking place. An occupational therapist can help you identify your risk of developing other tears and implement strategies to help with your specific condition.
We have identified risk factors and successful injury management techniques to help you recover. If you need cellular therapy for your chronic or neurological condition, reach out.