Easily missed: Acute rotator cuff tears

A 45-year-old woman falls on ice and injures her shoulder. Assessment at her local hospital reveals bruising only and no bony injury on plain radiographs. Despite ongoing reassurance and participation in a physiotherapy programme for three months, she continues to complain of pain, weakness and inab...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Craig, R, Holt, T, Rees, J
Format: Journal article
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2017
Description
Summary:A 45-year-old woman falls on ice and injures her shoulder. Assessment at her local hospital reveals bruising only and no bony injury on plain radiographs. Despite ongoing reassurance and participation in a physiotherapy programme for three months, she continues to complain of pain, weakness and inability to raise her arm. Eventually she is referred to a specialist shoulder clinic where an ultrasound scan confirms she suffered an acute full thickness tear of her supraspinatus tendon.