Supraspinatus tear: If you want a chance for a full recovery surgeryis your best option. ; 2. If the nearly complete tear were to become a complete tear, this would require surgery (ideally quite quickly) to re-attach the tendon otherwise the functioning of the supraspinatus muscle (it elevates the upper arm) would be lost. Medicine. All the best. I served in the Navy for many years, and in April of 2010 I had a little mishap. I appreciate your thoughts on this matter. Superior subluxation of the humeral head. By June '13 I was better in many ways than before the injury. The difficulty with overhead racket sports (like badminton, squash or tennis) is that high level functioning of the rotator cuff muscles are required to stabilise the shoulder joint in what is naturally unstable positions (overhead, and with high speed movement). However, in some cases it is clear that surgery is likely to be the best option. Risk of infection and nerve damage are worthy of consideration for any surgery, particularly one as involved as a reverse shoulder replacement. Full thickness tears of the rotator cuff are described as small, medium, large or massive (Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10). I just found out this week that I have Bursitis, and a tear in my Supraspinatus. If it has been a while since the MRI, this may involve getting another one (as tendinosis can weaken the tendon, which may in turn lead to larger tears or even a complete rupture), it may also involve a trial of PT or a referral directly to an orthopedic surgeon. If the tear occurs with injury, you may experience acute pain, a snapping sensation, and immediate weakness of the arm. Judging by the description of atrophy in your rotator cuff muscles, I am guessing it has already been some time since the incident occurred. It seems as though you have now had two MRI reports. When supraspinatus tendon tear symptoms are chronic and severe, an orthopedic specialist will be able to provide good advice on likely recovery and treatment options, including the likelihood of successful recovery with or without surgery. I experienced a fall on August 31, 2012. Some days later, I was called back to the VA so they could tell me what they found. A-C joint is moderately to severely degenerative. Thanks. Now I have these results stated above. MRI). In active individuals who use the arm for overhead work or sports. If surgery is not indicated, your doctor should be able to refer you to a physical therapist who will likely assess your shoulder movement and be able to provide you with a tailored program to help strengthen your rotator cuff. If your primary physician has already made the diagnosis, an orthopaedic surgeon can review both surgical and nonsurgical options and start treatment. Muscular and tendinous structures including remaining portions of the rotator cuff are also felt to remain otherwise unremarkable in signal and morphology. The reverse shoulder surgery is extremely involved so I am getting a second opinion. I plan on asking the surgeon these questions, but wanted your expert opinion. I'm only 38 and am not willing to give up everything I love doing and from what I read there are many more options available. Anyone seeking specific orthopaedic advice or assistance should consult his or her orthopaedic surgeon, or locate one in your area through the AAOS Find an Orthopaedist program on this website. Some quite compelling research has indicated that a substantial proportion of people (particularly young people) who receive this kind of treatment will go on to have further shoulder problems (sometimes instability in the shoulder joint or pain and discomfort from damaged structures). Pain continued and got worse. I plan on asking the surgeon these questions, but wanted your expert opinion. Three techniques are used for rotator cuff repair: Your orthopaedic surgeon can recommend which technique is best for you. It sounds like you have several concerning symptoms there. From the description of your MRI report it sounds like your shoulder must have been quite painful and inflamed at the time (perhaps it still is)! is surgery the only option? I've met with 2 orthopedic surgeons and both have indicated surgery is my best option for recovery. There is a small band of hyperintensity on the footprint attachment of the anterior aspect of supraspintus in keeping with tendinopathy -small unretracted intra-substance tear. Generally speaking, MRIs definitely help the surgeon to make a diagnosis and give them an idea of whether surgery will help. Degeneration of the infraspinatus tendon with bursa side fraying. dr mike,a i got an mri shoulder pain, the surgen said it was adhesive capsulitis and with about 6 weeks of pt it would be fine, but the mri report also said there was a tear, the doctor said the report was wrong, needless to say i got a second opinion, the next doctor ordered a new mri and he suggest surgery , i am at a loss, should i get a 3rd opinion just to be sure? It's a supraspinatus tendon tear with 50% thickness and no labral tear. To recap I have had debridement and subacromial decompression, am 34 years old and now have arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis and impingement. I am now off again to another specialist as the 2nd opinion specialist said there was not much he could do to improve the situation! The supraspinatus is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff group of muscles. Thank you for the info posted on this page. Im a bodybuilder for years but I'm getting old. Full thickness tear means a complete tear of the rotator cuff supraspinatus tendon. For all you that are going to have this surgery be prepared for the long haul you will feel the feelings of uselessness, frustration, anger, and people looking at you like your full of it hang in there! It is one of the most frequently damaged tendons. [2] but can get back fairly good motion about the shoulder . In some cases, surgery to repair the tendon is also required. Massage may give you some short term relief, but I'm not sure massage on its own will have long term benefit that is additional to natural healing. Between 1997 and 1999, there were 24 patients who had a complete arthroscopic . Had mild discomfort in shoulder for a few weeks in August. As such, a therapist can provide a safe and progressive therapy program. But shoulder exercises from now until I die. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story. Also, if you were concerned about any advice given by your doctor, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion from another doctor who can conduct a full examination and look at your MRI. A full-thickness tear, which usually means the tendon is torn from its insertion on the humerus (the most common injury), is repaired directly to bone. Many professions require repetitive or heavy overhead work (roof plasterer etc.). Does a full thickness tear of the supraspinatus tendon need surgery? An orthopedic surgeon will be able to provide you with all the information you need regarding surgery, however, regarding exercises to return to badminton it might be wise to see a physical therapist (also known as physiotherapist) who specialises in sports injuries and rehabilitation. ROM decreased. At age 74, not sure whether to endure surgery with hard rehab and recovery or continue with PT . As far as general information goes, it is also worthwhile noting that chronic pain and inflammation at a joint can lead to secondary changes (weakening muscles, changes in the way the body processes pain etc.) Supraspinatus is the most commonly injured rotator cuff tendon. I get asked about this a lot, perhaps I should write a page on rehabilitation following surgical repair of supraspinatus tendon tears! If, however, you are active or use your arm for overhead work or sports, surgery is most often recommended because many tears will not heal without surgery. Nonetheless, it worth noting that as a general principle, synovial fluid is very important and helps lubricate the joint. Good luck! Small. Articular side: tears on the bottom of the tendon. What I can say is that for anyone looking to return to unrestricted badminton following a partial thickness supraspinatus tendon tear and shoulder labrum tear (particularly a SLAP lesion) will not be quick or easy. I am sorry, I can't give you specific advice over the internet about whether you will need surgery or not. After the injury, you had a partial width full thickness tear of your supraspinatus tendon. While it is true that rotator cuff tears are more common among middle aged and older people, they can indeed occur among younger people too; particularly when they are performing heavy work or have some kind of trauma event (contact sport, car accident, gym accident etc.). . The supraspinatus muscle is a relatively small muscle, but very it's important one. Even though surgery repairs the defect in the tendon, the muscles around the arm remain weak, and a strong effort at rehabilitation is necessary for the procedure to succeed. Twenty-one of the 70 partial-thickness tears were not rim-rent tears: there were nine (12.9%) tears in the critical zone, 10 (14.3%) interstitial tears, and two (2.9%) bursal-sided tears. Good luck with your next round of surgery or therapies! I'm sorry I can't give you specific advice over the internet, but hopefully you will find the following general information interesting. I was told that they were now wanting to do surgery to actually go in and see what they might be able to do to repair some of the damage they thought they saw. She said she had never heard anything like that before and it was not my rotater cuff like everyone else believed. I am sorry I can't give you any specific advice over the internet, but here are some thoughts that may be useful to you. I can reach behind my back ok. Unfortunately I can't give you specific advice over the internet. Twelve patients in Group 1 received an intra-substance injection into rupture area of supraspinatus tendon with Diprospan 1 cc (betamethasone disodium phosphate 2 mg and betamethasone dipropionate 5 mg) and . It may be as small as a pinpoint, or the tear may involve the entire tendon. I sleep fine as it does not hurt to lay on my back. Purpose: The objective of this study is to report on the complete arthroscopic repair of full-thickness tears of the supraspinatus.Type of Study: Prospective cohort study. If you get a chance please let us know how you go. 8% (102/1251) So quite often the best treatment approach is not always immediately clear. In my reports say that I have less fluid and possible tear. It is also worth knowing there are just some jobs that seem to take a heavy toll on shoulders / supraspinatus tendons (unfortunately I think painter / sheet rock installer / any occupation where you need to hold things up above shoulder or head height are right at the top of that list). In general terms of the types of MRI findings you have described, a combination of these types of pathology could require surgery; particularly if symptoms persisted after trying non-surgical interventions. Examination otherwise demonstrates the osseous structures of the shoulder to be otherwise unremarkable in signal and morphology. This can occur due to trauma or repeated micro-trauma and present as a partial or full-thickness tear. Your surgeon (and the anesthetist) will not want to perform elective orthopedic surgery while you are pregnant to re-attach the tendon. According to Dr. Bob Burks, professor of orthopedics, 60 percent to 70 percent of patients will have some sort of tear by age 80. Due to the nature of what we were doing, I was unable to immediately seek medical attention, so after regaining some composure, I managed to carry on with my duty, but not without immense pain. Some people will recover quickly without any treatment, other people will recover after commencing non-surgical interventions (such as physical therapy and rotator cuff exercises and / or receiving a steroid injection), while others will still have pain after many months and may require surgery. I found it very helpful as I am sure all your other subscribers found it to be too. Sometimes in cases like this your surgeon may want to try an injection. It is possible this tear may communicate with the bursal surface anteriorly. Unfortunately, I suspect that a whole bunch of people will read your account and hear bits and pieces that remind them of their own circumstance. Again, because your case is not straightforward, seeking advice from your surgeon(s) in this regard is certainly wise. I had surgery last Thursday for a complete tear of the supraspinatus tendon due to a car accident and was told the tendon was repaired with titanium staples.My concern is of the staples coming out ,I wear a sling whenever outside but have been taking it off when sleeping in my recliner which I've found the best since the accident.If I am just walking around the house I've let it hang down and do not feel pain at the shoulder so figure there is no risk of them pulling out by doing this,am I correct? I hope I will not follow suit! I have been diagnosed with a tear of the supraspinatus tendon by exam and u/s. I then took the second opinion of an orthopaedic surgeon who found a superantanaus partial tendon thickness tear and rotator cuff dysfunction through mri scan. but can get back fairly good motion about the shoulder . If they do cause pain, then it is important to check with the PT that the technique and level of resistance is appropriate for your condition. This surgery is no joke!! The retracted margin of the tendon is at the level of the lateral and anterior margin of the anterior acromion. When getting a second opinion from another surgeon. Modify Sport Techniques . ROM hurts so I'm not sure. Family is important, and I would not encourage people to discard their advice or offend their family and friends, but definitely weigh up advice on its merit. I guarantee you will not be the last person to read this page wondering about a difference in doctor opinion or trying to figure out whether they have a supraspinatus tendon tear or adhesive capsulitis (or surgery versus no surgery). Thanks for stopping by and sharing your interesting story. Follow up not til next Wednesday. This tear leaves only a very thin layer of intact cuff at the site, no impingement, labrum is intact. Mary Kay. I went to one orthopedic doctor and he immediately said surgery is my only option. The supraspinatus muscle provides stability to the glenohumeral joint and is a frequent source of pain and disability. Good Luck to all the other guys, especially the deployed guy, my son has just returned. twice, second time relief only lasted 5 minutes) finally local doc ordered M.R.I. If the ball is popping out of the joint (dislocating), then that is a major concern (but this usually doesn't occur without trauma)! 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