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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

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Suggest Treatment For Partial-thickness Tear Of The Superior Subscapularis Tendon

I have a low-grade partial-thickness tear of the superior subscapularis tendon in the right arm. I don t see my dr till late next week. Can you kinda explain this and tell me if surgery is going to be needed? they also are saying I have mild degenerative increased signal within the anterior labrum without a discrete labral tear and mild AC joint Arthropathy. Please explain this so I can understand.
Wed, 19 Oct 2022
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Anesthesiologist 's  Response
Hello,

The subscapularis is a muscle in your shoulder that helps you internally rotate your arm. When your arm is internally rotated, it means that your palm is facing back, behind your body. The most common symptom of a subscapularis tear is shoulder pain, especially in the front of the shoulder. You might also hear or feel “clicking” in your shoulder when you rotate your arm.

Other symptoms of a subscapularis tear are unique to this injury. These include bicep weakness, having a hard time reaching for something in your back pocket or reaching for your back, pain in the space under your collarbone, and your affected arm rotating outwards (palm facing forwards) without you moving it.

Treatment for a subscapularis tear usually depends on the tear size and how much the tear negatively impacts your life. If the tear is small and you can perform your daily life activities, your doctor might recommend a conservative course of treatment. This would include icing, heat, and pain medication such as ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It might also include physical therapy, especially if you’re older.

If the tear goes through the full thickness of the muscle, you have significant disability from the injury, or the tear doesn’t get better after three to six months of conservative treatment, your doctor will probably recommend surgery. Anterior labrum is a part of shoulder joint and is helpful in movements. Your report says it is intact and there is no tear. Mild AC joint meaning acromioclavicular joint or shoulder joint arthropathy meaning starting of degenerative changes that leads to pain.

Most surgery for a subscapularis tear is done arthroscopically, which means your doctor inserts a camera into your shoulder through a small slit and uses the camera to guide the surgery. After surgery, you’ll wear a brace that will keep you from rotating your arm outwards for about six weeks.

After that, you’ll start physical therapy and gradually increase your range of motion. You can usually start doing exercises to strengthen your arm and shoulder about ten weeks after surgery. Please don't worry about surgery as it's a minor procedure required only for full muscle thickness tears.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Pallavi M., Anesthesiologist
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Suggest Treatment For Partial-thickness Tear Of The Superior Subscapularis Tendon

Hello, The subscapularis is a muscle in your shoulder that helps you internally rotate your arm. When your arm is internally rotated, it means that your palm is facing back, behind your body. The most common symptom of a subscapularis tear is shoulder pain, especially in the front of the shoulder. You might also hear or feel “clicking” in your shoulder when you rotate your arm. Other symptoms of a subscapularis tear are unique to this injury. These include bicep weakness, having a hard time reaching for something in your back pocket or reaching for your back, pain in the space under your collarbone, and your affected arm rotating outwards (palm facing forwards) without you moving it. Treatment for a subscapularis tear usually depends on the tear size and how much the tear negatively impacts your life. If the tear is small and you can perform your daily life activities, your doctor might recommend a conservative course of treatment. This would include icing, heat, and pain medication such as ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It might also include physical therapy, especially if you’re older. If the tear goes through the full thickness of the muscle, you have significant disability from the injury, or the tear doesn’t get better after three to six months of conservative treatment, your doctor will probably recommend surgery. Anterior labrum is a part of shoulder joint and is helpful in movements. Your report says it is intact and there is no tear. Mild AC joint meaning acromioclavicular joint or shoulder joint arthropathy meaning starting of degenerative changes that leads to pain. Most surgery for a subscapularis tear is done arthroscopically, which means your doctor inserts a camera into your shoulder through a small slit and uses the camera to guide the surgery. After surgery, you’ll wear a brace that will keep you from rotating your arm outwards for about six weeks. After that, you’ll start physical therapy and gradually increase your range of motion. You can usually start doing exercises to strengthen your arm and shoulder about ten weeks after surgery. Please don t worry about surgery as it s a minor procedure required only for full muscle thickness tears. Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Pallavi M., Anesthesiologist