Shoulder Tendon Injuries

(Rotator Cuff Rupture)

Torn tendons (rupture) in the shoulder caused by an accident or wear and tear are very painful and a major limitation to shoulder movement. The conservative or surgical treatment of an injured rotator cuff depends on the severity of the injury, the shape of the rupture and the location of the tear, as well as possible additional injuries. A medical assessment is strongly recommended.

Tendon injury to the shoulder? Accident-related or chronic complaints?

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Shoulder Tendon Injuries

The main shoulder joint is the most flexible body joint. Because the shoulder is mainly held in place by muscles and tendons, it has an exceptionally large range of motion.

Injuries or diseases of the shoulder thus cause extensive movement restrictions. Complaints in the shoulder region (pain, numbness or tingling) can also radiate to the upper arm or neck.

Shoulder pain occurs in all age groups. A fall on the shoulder or arm can cause very severe accidental pain. Acute shoulder pain can also occur during sports or after lifting heavy loads.

The cause of chronic shoulder pain is often not in the shoulder joint itself. The majority of these complaints are caused by damage to muscles, tendons, joint capsule and an overall wear and tear of the shoulder joint caused by injury or disease.

Torn shoulder tendon

The shoulder joint is held firmly in position by a well-coordinated muscle ring. This muscle ring is formed from the tendons of 4 muscles and is called the rotator cuff. The most important tendon that surrounds the upper arm from above is the supraspinatus tendon.

The various tendons in the shoulder can be injured or even tear if you fall on your arm or shoulder. Chronic tendon wear and tear is often the cause of tendon rupture in the first place. In the case of a previously damaged, worn shoulder tendon, a harmless everyday load is sometimes enough to cause the tendon to tear.

Diagnosis and therapy

The diagnosis of a torn shoulder tendon is made by a joint examination. Imaging procedures (X-rays, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) and arthroscopy complete the examination of a shoulder injury.

A torn shoulder tendon can be traumatically caused by a painful accident. A degenerative rupture is caused by gradual wear and impaired blood flow to the tendon. In the case of a degenerative rupture of the shoulder tendon, symptoms are only slowly apparent, for example in the form of night pain.

The torn shoulder tendon, which is stable over a long period of time, can be treated conservatively (without surgery) and stabilized with physiotherapeutic measures to improve the functionality of the arm.  

Operation for torn shoulder tendon

However, a complete tendon rupture cannot heal on its own, as the tendon is pulled away from the bone by the muscles.

Surgical reconstruction of the shoulder tendon is generally recommended in cases of acute tears and complete tears with a considerable loss of shoulder function. The aim of the operation is to fix the torn shoulder tendon to the bone so that the complete rotator cuff can heal in the right place.

The operation for a torn shoulder tendon is performed on an in-patient basis, under anaesthetic, arthroscopically minimally invasive.