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I Think I have A Tendon Tear - Should I Immobilize It?

July 28th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

Question: While helping to move my daughters refrigerator on Saturday, I hurt my shoulder. The pain is very similar to something I experienced a long time ago. I had a tendon tear from the muscle and boy did i suffer with that.  If this is the same thing, should i immobilize it? Thank You.

Answer: Thank you for your question.  There may be a couple different schools of thought on this one depending on what the exact injury diagnosis is.  If you have experienced a tendon tear, then yes, you may want to immobilize the shoulder for 2 weeks or so, then slowly resume movement.  However, immobilizing the shoulder can get a little tricky as it may also lead to a condition I’m sure you have heard of called ‘frozen shoulder’.

Being unaware of the exact injury I would suggest the following:

1. Reduce movement and ice the shoulder for 3 days.

2. Slowly try to resume movement after this with no heavy lifting or push/pull activity for at least two weeks.

3. At this point if it is not appreciably better I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist.

Regardless, if your tendon tear or shoulder is not improving after two weeks it is important to get looked at by a medical professional.

Take Care!

Andy

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There Are 2 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by steve quinn on 3 August 2009:

    i have had a pain around and under my left rib cage for over a year now and my doctor keeps telling me its muscle pain….i think he is wrong?

  2. Comment by PT Health Team on 18 September 2009:

    In this case your doctor’s main roll would be to rule out anything more significant such as heart or lung issues. I would assume she/he has done this. There are a series of muscle layers located in the area you are describing that could indeed be generating pain. As a physiotherapist I would also want to ensure the rib and its attachments to the front (breast bond) and back (mid spine) are moving well. If they are not they may be causing a muscle imbalance that can result in pain. A diagnosis via email is of course difficult so I would suggest you consult a physiotherapist in your area. They have advanced training in orthopedics (muscles, joints etc.) and will likely be able to solve your mystery pain.

    Don’t wait, its already been a year!

    All The Best,

    Andy B. RPT

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