Runner's Forum: Rotator cuff tear

Has anyone ever knowingly run with torn rotator cuff muscles? A couple of days ago, 12km into my 17km run I took a dive on the footpath (sidewalk). Trouble was, I had my water bottle in my left hand and was still holding onto it as it slid along the ground, ripping a couple of muscles in my shoulder at the same time. A day later I could hardly move my arm so went reluctantly to the medical centre, where they diagnosed the tear. However, I have to wait 2 weeks for a scan to confirm it (great health service here - the people really try but the funding is hopeless). I don't want to sit around doing nothing for 2 weeks, so would love to know if any other runners have kept going despite having a rotator cuff tear, and whether it aggravated the condition or made the recovery time longer or not. I have been for runs both days since, just keeping my arm as still as possible, but 2 days is quite different to 2 weeks! Cheers

I am a physical therapy student (about to graduate, but haven't yet...so take this advice with a grain of salt! ) and I would recommend keeping your activities to those that are pain-free while you recover. Continued painful, repetitive motion could be causing addtional trauma. I know it is hard for us runners to take long breaks (believe me, I would also go crazy not being able to run for 2 weeks!), but activity modification is an important part of recovery; your body needs to heal. That said, it is also important to keep the shoulder moving through a pain-free range of motion (gentle stretching) ...otherwise you could end up with a frozen shoulder! Ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist who can help guide you through conservative treatment if surgery is not indicated. Hope that helps you guys out! Good luck! 

Hi cl - it's good to know that someone else has the same problem, although it would be much better if neither of us had it! I have just been to see my regular doctor who has said that it is OK to run - as long as I don't fall over again! I don't get much in the way of pain when I'm running, though. Just a slight ache under my collarbone and over my shoulderblade. And when I get home I ice it, and then put on an anti-inflammatory gel after my shower to calm everything down again. I'm training for a half-marathon too, and it's only 4 weeks away, so I don't really want to stop now. I hope your injury calms down and you get to run your race! Thanks for the good advice, too, atensmeyer. I'm a big fan of physiotherapists - they do some really good work. I've got an appointment to see mine on Monday, just to make sure everything keeps moving. Interestingly, the one activity that really gets my shoulder going is driving. My car is a manual, and even the 40 km round trip to my doctor today has set my shoulder back. Guess that is another good reason to run or walk everywhere!

I think you should Keep doing some exercise. I am due an operation on Saturday for a rotator cuff ligament tear. It has been extremely painfull, getting progressively worse since September, causing frozen shoulder despite physio treatment . It is now impossible to run. However, since January I swapped running for biking. I have been able to ride 25 miles a session without any pain and shoulder feels better afterwards. If I hadn't done the biking I think it would have been worse. I'll probably stick with biking as  I am enjoying it more than the running and I don't come back looking 10 years older!