Rotator cuff tears are the leading cause of shoulder pain and shoulder disability. There are 4 muscles in your rotator cuff – supraspinatus, subscapularis, infraspinatus, and teres minor. These muscles sit on your shoulder blade and insert into the shoulder. Their main job is to stabilize the shoulder joint during movement and contribute to rotation. Rotator cuff tears can be caused by trauma, falls, degeneration, repetitive motion, or overload. There is evidence that smoking, frozen shoulder, and rotator cuff tendonitis can increase your risk of rotator cuff tears. Symptoms include pain with overhead activity, shoulder stiffness, and weakness. Your therapist will assess your shoulder to determine the health of your rotator cuff and create a treatment plan to address your pain.