With a rotator cuff tear, you should avoid activities that strain the shoulder, like overhead lifting, aggressive stretching (especially across the body or behind the head), heavy lifting, and movements that push the arm out from the body (like upright rows or lat pulldowns), as these worsen pain and can cause further damage; avoid heat in the initial phase and certain meds like NSAIDs early on, and don't use the arm to support yourself getting up.
During the recovery phase of a rotator cuff injury, avoiding overhead lifts with any weight is highly recommended. Movements that require the shoulders to be put under intense pressure or performing complex motions will put more strain on the muscles and potentially cause more significant injury.
Exercises to Avoid With a Rotator Cuff Injury
Rest and Rehabilitation
Often, doctors will recommend immobilizing the shoulder with a sling to restrict movement during the initial healing phase. Once the inflammation has subsided, rehabilitation exercises play a pivotal role in strengthening the affected muscles and restoring mobility.
With the right physiotherapy approach, torn rotator cuffs can often heal or functionally recover without surgery. Partial tears usually heal well with targeted exercises. Complete tears can sometimes recover function non-surgically. Rehab focuses on pain relief, mobility, and strengthening.
Conservative treatments — such as rest, ice and physical therapy — sometimes are all that's needed to recover from a rotator cuff injury. If your injury is severe, you might need surgery.
Tears caused by an injury in younger people may heal over time with rest and physical therapy. Surgery is often used for large tears. That's because they can lead to long-term problems if they aren't repaired.
The "7 Minute Rotator Cuff Solution" refers to a short, daily exercise program from a book by Joseph Horrigan and Jerry Robinson, designed to prevent and rehabilitate rotator cuff injuries by strengthening muscles, improving mobility, and creating space in the shoulder joint through simple, gentle movements like stretches and specific strengthening exercises, often using bodyweight or light resistance to boost blood flow and joint lubrication, though it's best used alongside a professional diagnosis.
With a partial tear, some tendon fibres are still intact. You may have pain and weakness, but you can often lift your arm, especially below shoulder height. Overhead movement, reaching away from your body, or sleeping on the sore side may be difficult.
If you are dealing with rotator cuff issues, you can reduce pain by sleeping on your back rather than on your side. You can even elevate your injured shoulder in this position by placing a folded towel or pillow underneath it, reducing swelling and inflammation.
If the muscles around your shoulder girdle are weak, they don't keep your shoulder in its proper place. If you already have shoulder impingement or rotator cuff pain, rowing can worsen it.
If you want to enhance a patient's physical therapy experience, consider using aquatic therapy for rotator cuff repair. The warm temperature of the water will relax their muscles and help reduce inflammation during exercises. Water provides a supportive environment that also allows for muscle resistance and retraining.
Lean forward and place one hand on a counter or table for support. Let your other arm hang freely at your side. Gently swing your arm forward and back. Repeat the exercise moving your arm side-to-side, and repeat again in a circular motion.
How long does it take for a torn rotator cuff to heal without surgery? For minor tears, healing can take 6 to 12 weeks with a combination of physical therapy, medication and lifestyle modifications. More severe tears may take several months to heal and might not fully heal without surgery.
The main symptom of a rotator cuff injury is pain at the top and side of your shoulder. The pain can be a dull general ache, or it can feel severe and sudden if you tear your rotator cuff in an accident. Sometimes the pain can spread down towards your elbow.
But certain people are more likely to have one: People over age 40. Most rotator cuff injuries are from the wear and tear of aging. By age 80, most adults have tears.
If you have symptoms that don't get better after 3 to 6 months, you may need surgery. You may want to think about surgery if you have torn your rotator cuff in a sudden injury and the tear is causing shoulder weakness.
Injections around the rotator cuff are helpful in providing relief, restoring function, and facilitating rehabilitation. However, partial and complete rotator cuff tears will not heal with cortisone injections and can make them worse. In fact, injections may compromise healing after surgery.
Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for rotator cuff pain. Another option is the over-the-counter NSAID topical cream diclofenac (Voltaren). It's important to talk to your doctor to make sure you can safely take these medications.
These therapies include:
An arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery may take around 1 to 1.5 hours, whereas an open surgery may take around 1.5 to 2 hours.
Rotator cuff injuries often result in stiffness and reduced range of motion. Massage therapy can help improve flexibility and restore the normal range of motion by breaking down scar tissue and adhesions in the muscles.
10 Symptoms That Might Signal You Need Rotator Cuff Surgery
Surgical options
Severe ACL injuries rarely heal by themselves. In partial ACL tears, however, nonsurgical treatment is effective depending on the severity or grade of the sprained ligament. Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery may be an option when dealing with hand and wrist ligament problems.
Most rotator cuff tears don't require surgery to heal. This is because most people with rotor cuff tears don't have any problem with their shoulders. Even if the torn rotator cuff causes shoulder pain, you can get relief without surgical treatment.