Rotator Cuff Tears and Strains What is a rotator cuff? The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles (the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles) designed to stabilize the arm bone in the shoulder joint. What are rotator cuff tears and strains? A rotator cuff tear occurs when any number of the tendons are torn. A strain on the rotator cuff is irritation to the area caused by too much stress being placed on the tendons. These injuries can take place during a fall on an outstretched handover time from daily strain, a bone spur, or improper lifting of a heavy object What are symptoms of rotator cuff tears/strains? You may be suffering from a rotator cuff tear or strain if you suddenly feel pain down the arm when you lift your arm overhead, reach for something heavy, or lie down on that side. How do we treat rotator cuff tears and strains? At Urban Wellness Clinic, we start off by looking into compensation patterns to determine the reason behind the rotator cuff injury. Once we diagnose where the pain is stemming from, we determine which type of stretching and strengthening exercises are best suited for your injury.