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WHAT CAUSES A ROTATOR
CUFF TEAR?
There are two main causes of rotator

cuff tears: injury and degeneration.
• Injury - if you fall down on your
outstretched arm or lift something
too heavy with a jerking motion,
you can tear your rotator cuff.

Other shoulder injuries, such as a
broken collarbone or dislocated
shoulder, can also cause a tear.
• Degeneration - most tears are
the result of wear and tear. This
degeneration naturally occurs as
you age. Rotator cuff tears are more

common in the dominant arm. If
you have a degenerative tear in shoulder). When you lift your arms, tears in young adults are caused

one shoulder, there is a greater the spurs rub on the rotator cuff by a traumatic injury, like a fall.
likelihood of a rotator cuff tear in tendon. This condition is called

the other shoulder too, even if you shoulder impingement, which WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS
have no pain in that shoulder. over time will weaken the tendon OF A ROTATOR CUFF TEAR?
and make it more likely to tear. The most common symptoms

SEVERAL FACTORS of a rotator cuff tear include:
THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT ARE THE RISk • Pain when you are at rest and
DEGENERATIVE ROTATOR FACTORS FOR A ROTATOR at night, particularly if lying

CUFF TEARS INCLUDE: CUFF TEAR? on the affected shoulder;

• Repetitive stress. Repetitive As most rotator cuff tears are largely • Pain when lifting and lowering your

shoulder movement can cause stress caused by the normal wear and tear arm, or with specific movements;

to your rotator cuff muscles and that go along with ageing, people • Weakness or the inability to
tendons. Baseball, tennis, rowing, over 40 years are at greater risk. lift or rotate your arm;
and weightlifting are examples of • A clicking or catching sensation
sports activities that can put you People who do repetitive lifting or when moving your shoulder
at risk of tears caused by overuse. activities involving lifting of the arms in certain positions.
Many jobs and routine chores above the head are likewise at risk of

can also cause ‘overuse tears’. developing rotator cuff tears. Athletes A tear that happens suddenly, such
• Lack of blood supply. As you get older, are especially vulnerable to overuse as from a fall, usually causes intense

the blood supply in your rotator cuff tears, particularly tennis players, pain. There may have been a snapping
tendons lessens. Without a good blood cricket bowlers and baseball pitchers. sensation or a pop and immediate
supply, the body’s natural ability to Painters, carpenters, and others who weakness in your shoulder.
repair tendon damage is impaired. This do overhead work also have a greater
can ultimately lead to a tendon tear. likelihood of incurring an injury. Tears that develop slowly due to overuse
• Bone spurs. As you age, bone spurs or age-related degeneration also cause
(bone overgrowth) often develop Although overuse tears caused by pain and arm weakness. You may have
on the underside of the acromion sports activity or overhead work pain in the shoulder when you lift your
bone (the bone on top of your also occur in younger people, most arm or feel pain on the side of your

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