When one or more of the rotator cuff tendons is torn, the tendon no longer fully attaches to the head of the humerus.
In most rotator cuff tears, the tendon is torn away from the bone.
Most tears occur in the supraspinatus tendon, but other parts of the rotator cuff may also be involved.
In many cases, torn tendons begin by fraying. As the damage progresses, the tendon can completely tear, sometimes with lifting a heavy object.
There are different types of tears:
- Partial tear: This type of tear is also called an incomplete tear. It damages the tendon, but does not completely sever it.
- Full-thickness tear: This type of tear is also called a complete tear. It separates all of the tendon from the bone. With a full-thickness tear, there is basically a hole in the tendon.