Top 5 Signs of a Rotator Cuff Tear
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ค. 2024
- In this video I share 5 easy Physical Therapy tests to identify whether your rotator cuff is compromised or torn. For the 10 exercises I recommend for non-surgical rotator cuff rehab, check out this video: • 10 Rotator Cuff Exerci...
0:00 Intro
0:44 Empty Can Test
1:24 Drop Arm Test
1:55 Lag Sign
2:24 Infraspinatus Test
2:50 Lift Off Test
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Empty Can Test
This test targets one of the rotator cuff muscles that most commonly tears at the tendon: the supraspinatus.
To perform the empty can test, fully extend your bad arm and raise it to shoulder height, slightly outward from your body.
Turn your hand downward, as if you are emptying a can or glass. Your palm should be open and your thumb pointing to the floor.
Next, using your other arm, press down on your raised arm at the elbow. Try to resist the motion. If someone is nearby, you could ask them to press down on your arm for you.
As you try to resist the pressure, pay attention to any pain or weakness you perceive in your arm, especially compared to your other arm. Pain or weakness may indicate a torn or compromised supraspinatus tendon.
Drop Arm Test
A rotator cuff tear will make it difficult for you to control your arm as it lowers, especially if any one of the 4 stabilizers of the rotator cuff are compromised.
To perform the drop arm test, simply raise your arm overhead in an arc, with as much range as possible. Now reverse the arc and lower your arm slowly, without assistance. If you cannot control the motion or if your arm drops suddenly, your rotator cuff might be compromised by a severe strain or tear at the supraspinatus tendon.
Lag Sign Test
While standing or sitting upright, bend your bad arm at the elbow to 90 degrees.
Using assistance from a friend or your opposite arm, rotate your arm away from your body slightly, as if you’re going to throw a ball. Now remove any assistance and try to maintain this position. If your arm drops or moves, you have a positive lag sign and your supraspinatus, infraspinatus, or teres minor tendon may be compromised or torn.
4. Infraspinatus Test
Your rotator cuff comprises 3 external rotators, one of which is the infraspinatus. To isolate this muscle, make a loose fist and bend your bad arm at the elbow, so that your forearm is at 90º and the top of your knuckles faces forward. Keeping the elbow tight to your waist, apply pressure inward on your bad arm and try to resist it. If you feel pain or weakness or are unable to hold the position, there’s a good chance you have a compromised or torn infraspinatus.
5. Lift-Off Test
This test can help identify a tear or compromise in the subscapularis tendon, which moves the shoulder into internal rotation. To perform the test, place the back of your hand against the center of your low back. Now try lifting your hand off your back. If you’re unable to do so without pain or weakness (or at all), this could indicate a subscapularis compromise or tear.
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This video was incredibly succinct well shot and scripted when most other PT videos are extremely long winded unscripted and shot poorly with terrible audio. This is extremely good content and I hope you are proud of it.
Thank you so much!
This is my 5th video on this subject and I'm early in. Hope you're right. 😊
The thought of doing these motions makes me pass out. No question my shoulder is mess. Seeing Dr today
Did you ever get a good shoulder diagnosis? Did they treat it?did pain get better?
Excellent! Quick and to the point without a lot of chatter.
Thanks for your clear instructions they are very helpful.
You're like me. Quick short & sweet. Great vid!
Thankyou for your advice.i am suffering with shoulder pain and neck pain
Thanks for making such a direct video
yup, i have the sub scapa lapa tapa tear. Thank you for helping me identify this
This was a terrific video and very helpful..onto the next .Thank you for that!
I needed this root-cause tool so bad. It was my subscapularis. I then watched a couple of videos on "releasing" it. Within 10 min of watching this video, my pain was gone. Thank you SO much, Sir!!!
Very helpful and to the point. Thank you.
I’m gonna show this to my doctor so they can understand what I’m feeling, thanks for the video man!
A bit reassured now actually. Thanks
Great information. To the point.
Yep, I've definitely damaged mine. Thx for the info
Awesome video and explanation! Thank you!
Ow, the infraspinatus test hurt so bad! Thank you for the great vid. I can get right to the point with my doc next week.
Warning, prepare for severe pain if you do have a rotator cuff injury. I am in tears from the pain after moving my shoulder too much. So I learned it is what my Dr thinks it is and that referral to the orthopedic specialist is needed, but knowing it's my rotator cuff has done nothing but cause severe pain that is unbearable. Thanks
No way this isn't sarcasm lol
Love you bro thanks. I was doing pull ups then I shifted it to my right hand then certainly a Pop sound came and then I felt pain but now I realised that's nothing thank you very much
Thanks for your video sir , after suffering and spending money,but no relief,but now I m 80% fine in just a week, thanks
Great information, Thank you for this video.
This video and information provide is amazing, thank you!!
Mannn your putting our whole studying out there
Gotta respect the feel for others
When I called to make an appointment, the facility wanted to know if I needed to meet with a surgeon or a therapist before moving forward. I don't know if I need that! I have no idea what I did to my shoulder. It was frustrating.
I was doing push ups in a decline position and oh boy, i blew it out. Your tips have helped
The lift off test got me good. The pain is not unbearable but it’s uncomfortable enough that it won’t slow me to scratch my back without being very uncomfortable 😒
Very useful thanks for the tips ! 👌🏽
First test just shows me signs of forearm tightness/soreness. Might incorporate this as a tendonitis stretch for myself.
Thank you for the video!
Thanks for this - its been bothering me why the outside of my shoulder has hurt for last few weeks on chest day. Bingo the empty can test is really painful. Now onto the how to fix it video.
How did you fixed it?
Him Tim it's uncle Mick, love seeing you on TH-cam. I have had 3 Arthoscopic surgeries on my rotator cuff and now I'm old and decrepit. 😂😂😂 Love you guys!
I definitely have a compromised supraspinatus and possibly intraspinatus. Seeing a doc next week about it.
Very helpful video and a much better alternative to going to WebMD where I would probably read that I would need a shoulder replacement lmao! It seems I only lightly sprained my supraspinatus muscle since that empty can test was the only one I had a bit of trouble with. Thanks for such an informative video!
I felt a bit of pain in the first and 3 test but passed them. I don't really know if it still counts
@@DaN3xtEconomist nope technically u didn’t pass because you should be checking for ofcourse the flat inability to do the exercise or discomfort in performing them which u had discomfort so that’s a sign to further go and be checked out.
Hey
how did u fix it?? mine has been hurting for 6 weeks
I don’t feel pain but I feel slight discomfort in test 1 and 5 at the joint on my right side. My left in comparison o feel nothing. I’ll try these exercises thank you ❤
The first test about put me in the floor with pain. The next 3 weren't that bad but reaching behind my back hurts without doing anything else. I've been walking a lot to lose weight. I wear a Fitbit to count my steps and my arm hurts really bad after I walk. Also, I push myself up from my chair because my knees are shot. Again, that first test is rough.
Thank you so much for this beneficial video. I was feeling pain on in my shoulder. But as soon I tried the empty can test I felt better.
I had an x-ray that discovered my tare. This video helped me not worried so much about it. I was able to do all of the exercises, however the back one was difficult. The xray was after a car accident. I have no idea how it happened other than lifting 40 lbs of cat litter that caused pain.
:45 Empty Can Test - Supraspinatus
1:25 Drop Arm - Supraspinatus
1:50 Lag (Pitcher) - Supra/Infra/Teres
2:30 90% then externa-Infraspinatus
2:45 Lift of back - Subscapularis
i struggle a little with numbers 1 and 5, but what about the dryer test: when bending over and reaching into a dryer or retrieving something from under the bed or any shelf above eye level, I experience the most god awful deep stabbing pain in my right shoulder, sometimes dull sometimes intense depending on how much reach I exert. all started when I lost my balance and crashed into a ceramic planter, collapsing all my weight on it between my upper rib cage and arm pit. it's been 2-3months and only mild improvement. I went the urgent care, had it checked out like a week or so after the fact cause I thought it heal on its own. if I knew it's was going to be one of those life altering accident, I would've been more careful.
This video has excellent quality
Unfortunately, none of the things listed here have triggered my shoulder pain
Recently, I think I damaged something in my shoulder doing W holds with tension bands
But the only way I can trigger the pain is by holding my arm straight in front of me with the elbow locked and the thumb towards the sky
From this position, I will take my right arm and try to bring it to the right of me like I’m opening a door or throwing a back fist
When there is no resistance, I can do the motion fine but with moderate resistance, it sends a pain through my shoulder on that side
Great video! Positive on all tests.... Now what...
Great video . The first two tests were huge fails for me 👌🏻 now I know roughly which part of my shoulder needs assessing
how did u recover?? mine's been hurting for 6 weeks
Excellent video. I had no pain and was able to perform all tests without issue. My issue is when I bend my arm to 90 degrees against my chest then raise my arm I have pain, the pain passes when I get above my shoulder. Not sure I explained that very well.
Thank you
Same issue. What u did to rectify
@@aeroengineers9707 It’s still an issue. I’m doing some simple shoulder exercises and started using KT Tape, which seems to help. I suspect my issue is playing pickleball 4xs a week. Wish you luck.
THANK YOU MAN
Hi Tim, I'm currently working on my undergrad at the University of Texas and am interested in PT School. I was wondering what your thoughts are regarding a DPT and PhD. graduate program. Do you think a PhD. in Physical Therapy holds enough value to go through another 2-3 years of schooling after receiving the DPT, and do you think a teaching profession in Physical Therapy is a quality career to look into?
No real pain and discomfort on any of the 5 tests. I have a pain coming from my left shoulder that came after doing a bunch of rowing exercises in the gym, I'll just rest it for now and see if there's any improvement.
Did it get better? I have something similar
@@zooli9 Most of the pain went away within the first day or two, I had some discomfort at work but it seems to be mostly better now.
The first test came kind of positive to me.
The 2nd test, my problem is with lifting the arm all the way up, not dropping them down.
The rest are negative. What kind of injury is that? I didn't even work out or do some hard labor work. I get it yesterday after I stood up from lying & playing games on my phone.
I think I should see a doctor. I hurt my shoulder a few days ago playing basketball. I could do the empty can, drop arm and lift off tests with minimal to no pain, but the lag test and infraspinatus test caused immense pain and my arm to drop both times. Couldn’t hold the positions whatsoever.
Thanks.
I woke up three days ago with severe pain in my left shoulder. All of these test ran positive for me. I can barely do anything for the throbbing pain I am experiencing. Yesterday, I started with some light exercises and thought I was going to be sick to my stomach afterwards because the pain was excruciating. Can't sleep because sleeping on my back is the pitts for me. What in earth should do?
thank you! is this something we can do in our sleep?? (i failed tests 1 and 2, and had a hard time with 3) and it's been a strange mysterious injury that kinda came outta nowhere and has lasted over 6 weeks
all signs on my shoulder positive weakness especially!!! ughhhh i have no work for jan and first two weeks of feb. rest and repair.
I've had this issue for 3 years now, results from having one hard job at the factory for extended period of time with no breaks between. I was watching Hannibal TV series and found out the term, Rotator Cuff and now i'm pretty sure this is my issue. I can barely lift the arm to 90 degrees and sometimes it falls down when reaching to get a glass or something resulting in huge pain.
Did you get it looked at? After three years I am pretty sure arthritis would have taken over now 😔
I hope you recover
@@boartank can someone recover without surgery and can xray show if u have one?🙏
Hi....what do you mean by pain? Is it sharp? Feels cold? Can you emphasize more please. I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is discomfort
great graphics for a layman to understand better. :)
Hi Tim, I only have one weakness which was on the mt can test. But I do have pain in all movements. Could this still be a rotor cuff injury
I passed all the test but sometimes I move my arm I have a small pain in my shoulder is it simple tear then how much days should I rest from workout
i found myself struggling to do raises in the gym so the empty can test is the only problem I have but idk what to do to make it go away, I would like for someone to give me an instruction to make the pain go away and thank u doc
Left shoulder pain when doing a lat raise .just before parallel boom pain hits me sometimes even locks.
Hello, I was out hunting archery season and drew back my compound bow Mathew’s v3 . Well to say the least felt a pop and instant pain and lot of crepitus in the shoulder i can raise my arm straight up but when I try to lift my arm up to the side extreme pain and can only get it up so far I went to a ortho specialist and he said he wanted to do a shoulder decompression and debridement can you please explain
THANK GOD, this is my second time dislocating my shoulder within 12 months and it was from reaching to my back seat for my wallet and over extending it… I just passed every single test but I my shoulder still feels weak because it’s still day 3 after the dislocation
I have a pain that appears in the right arms rear rotator cuff that happens when I push hard or lift/pull something heavy by my side, the thing is I could do all these tests and barely get any pain. I remember it started since I threw out my arm years ago and got that pain in the same area. Any tips or information on that?
I have tendinitis and tissue damage in my right rotator cuff and pulled trapezius also on right side massage therapy and physiotherapy hasn’t been helping everything is getting worse what do I do
I heard a tear near my left shoulder today while I was training. I passed all these tests but I suspect that my trapezius got strained. If I straightened my left arm forward and try to reach to the right without turning my torso, there is pain.
Omg this is painful for me I’ve gotten pain shots nothing helps with pain I get a mri in 4 days hopefully I can last that long i tried ur tips my arm was shaken so bad it’s extremely painful now.
What if on the empty can test my shoulder pops (not hurting) every time I rotate my arm, and also hurt a little bit when i press the arm as shown on the video ? 😢
Thanks. Where did you find the cool skeleton muscle pics?
I did 3X30sec isometric hold while trying to rotate inwards and outwards. so two times 3X30 for internal and external. Before I had some pain, thats why I've looked for video about rotator cuff tests. After these isometric holds like 95% of the little pain went away. And I've also got full range of motion with that shoulder. So guess I dont have problems with tear or sth that needs a doctor, just a... yeah, what could it be? just a tension in these rotator muscles? what realy love to understand what was the problem, because it didnt realy become better over some days and now after the isometrics its extremely better
Passed them all but the shoulder is still a mess. Lot of pain and the arm bone is catching and popping off the shoulder blade. When I fell on the arm in 5 months ago for the first week I had very limited movement couldn't lift the arm. I can raise it above the head now but the left has another foot of range.
What can you take for the pain?
First test I heard two or three pops in my shoulder and I feel it but it's not anything new to me. I have chronic pain in my shoulder and elbow yesterday I was reaching up and I felt and I heard pops that is new to me but I fired my pistol recently so I think some scar tissue got loose up at the range and my elbow feels better now than 20 years ago. Or wishful thinking?
If I have only the empty can test does that mean it’s teared? I don’t get pain in the other ones but only in the empty can test it does give me pain when I rotated and have my thumb downwards.
I can do all these exercises feeling a lil pain but no lose of strength. Is that good? Or bad?
only the one behind my back causes some pain but I do have pain in should er. It is torn but pain with only one test. So what therapy do I have for that since I do experience pain in shoulders
Hey Doc. None of these are producing an issue for me, but lately, suddenly, and with no event, my rotator cuff started hurting in a certain position. Overhead, across the body. What does that mean? I have a feeling of imbalance and a little bit of clicking when doing complete shoulder circles
I think I had this occur form lateral raises, but I'm not 100% sure. It makes me tempted to go from free weights back to machine weights.
My suspicion as well. The only pain was from the empty can test. Everything else was fine
What do you mean by compromised? Is that a tear? I have pain in all tests but I can do all movements without weakness. Half the time my shoulder hurts without any movement.
I did all the tests and I had no problem it just hurts when I lift and after
Great.
I was able to do all those things just now without pain, but I DO feel pain with those movements sometimes, just not always. What does that mean?
I have been diagnosed with impingement and frontal subscapularis tendonitis. The impingement is not as problematic as the tendonitis in my case. How do I treat the tendonitis effectively!?? I ave been looking high and low for info on this but never found any that really targets this problem! I use crutches and a zimmer frame to move around due to an unrelated disability and this makes my situation even harder since the affected area never really gets to rest and heal. PLEASE PLEASE HELP!
Had an MRI and an X-ray done nearly four months ago when I was experiencing moderate pain on ny right shoulder which to my surprise, came out normal. Now, my shoulder feels worse than ever and I fail test #1 really hard. I don't know what to do ? Do I just go to different clinics until they diagnose me correctly ? The sheer amount of constant cracking, grinding and popping in my shoulder is absolutely insane
I broke my right should in 5 places 9/30/22. It's coming up on 1 yr, but I still can't move my shoulder correctly. It feels hea y when I'm doing regular stuff like cleaning my house, bathing myself or my kids, doing dishes, sweeping etc. I can't lift heavy items or I drop them. I have zero control over it & it just drops. I thought maybe I had frozen shoulder, but I still continue to do my PT & I've even added more reps or trying to reach more. I feel defeated. My shoulder does hurt really bad on my ball & socket joint where one of my breaks was. I can't reach behind my back. I can only lift my arm a little under half way & I can't keep it there. It will drop. Then after doing all of that or my PT my shoulder will start to what I call vibrate or shake automatically. I can't get in to see a doctor. I moved to another state after my PT was completed. Idk what to do. My shoulder looks funny to when I am able to raise it. Almost as if it's higher on the right side. I just want this to be over with!! I want to shave my armpit & be able to use my arm correctly. Help🥺
5months ago i got a severe pain inshoulder after pushing the limits too much in pushups .after somedays pain gone . but had a rrstricted shoulder movemnts ...i started doing pushups agin but there is clicking on the shoulder which is annoying .Tere is also a slight needle pinching like pain on shoulder ...what to do now ?
Will my shoulder get worse with not having surgery sooner I been told I have a very bad tear in my tendon in my shoulder have to wait 8 weeks am worried it will get worse
I failed #4 and can't do #5. Also have a sharp pain when pressing on my rear delt or lifting elbow out to the side or backwards. Any non-surgical treatments I can try?
Thank you. Doc was right, supraspinatus tendonitis. Cheers
What if all 3 tendos seem to be torn according to your test ? Can a calcific tendonitis in the shoulder be Root cause ?
I have subtle ultra mild pain doing empty can, no pain at all in others. Strain ?
Could pain from any of these 5 tests be from bursitis? The reason I ask is because both of my shoulders have the same amount of discomfort. Thanks.
Felt pain on the empty can test but was still able to keep my arm extended and resist the weight. Was in pain but it wasn’t excruciating. What does this mean?
I heard swinging the arm, while walking lets say is beneficial healing for this.
Hi Tim, is it possible for a rotator cuff injury to feel almost like I'm getting a heart attack, I've been to countless doctors and they all say my heart is excellent.
Yes. I have chest pain with mine.
Hey, I have a question, cuz I'm not sure about this I get a lot of arm muscle cramps, Spasms, or something, it only painful around bicep area. It happens way a lot when swimming, or putting some force anywhere, and when I say a lot, it really happens way too many to the point I got used to the pain, like for example I went to this island for a week, and I felt it for more than 5 times, like its not swelling but the pain feels swelling inside, but I'm not sure about what it is cuz for me whenever that thing happens my hands are always in a lift position and it feels as if something moved feels like I got sprained but only it comes back to the old position, and long as I can feel the pain I won't be able to put my arm down. The question is it just normal muscle cramps or something? Earlier it happened again when I tried to do a back squat with a lift, like I hadn't even started yet but it already cramps, and had to wait for few a sec til I could put my arm down. Please someone answer who also experiencing this same thing.
I just did all of these and had the most pain with the lag test but it was not unbearable and I could still hold my arm in the position. I had some mild pain with the lift off test but I could still do the exercise.
When doing the empty can test I noticed a little pain when rotating my arm but nothing with resistance added. I have been having this shoulder pain for months and I feel it’s getting worse. It clicks and if I put weight on the shoulder it hurts, but the pain is not unbearable but it is substantial.
Just lifting my arm up and down I can feel the clicking. I’m not sure what’s going on with my shoulder but I figured if it wasn’t a big deal then it would’ve gotten better by now. Is it possible I need surgery?
My dad had rotator cuff surgery a few years ago in his 40s. I am only 24 and so the idea of needing surgery is freaking me out a little bit.
Same here have more pain with lag test
Can the pain spread to the other shoulder. I passed all these tests
For infraspinatus tears do you need surgery or possibly rehab? I rarely see a Dr for pain but feel that should get an MRI to see what’s going on but really don’t want to go through surgery
Why wouldn't your Dr have given MRI to see how bad tear is?
What does it mean if you have severe shoulder pain but no rotator injury indicators?
Shoulder didn’t feel too much pain throughout but noticed during the Lag Sign test it cramped up right away before even letting go with the assisting hand - is this a sign of rotator cuff issues?
What does this mean? I am entirely unable to move my left arm behind my back when attempting the lift off test. I am otherwise strong and pain free with all other movements and tests.
what if you have a lot of pain with all of these tests, but the pain is in the bicep muscle area, not the shoulder?