Rotator cuff tear such symptoms frequently are diagnosed with failed rotator cuff syndrome. According to an article published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, arthroscopic procedures produce "satisfactory results" more than 90 percent of the time. Dr. Eric J. Strauss and the other authors wrote that 6-8 percent of patients have "incompetent" rotator cuffs, because their repaired tendons either fail to heal or develop additional tears. In some cases, the symptoms are due to cervical spine disease, featuring neck pain that radiates into the shoulder; suprascapular neuropathy, a nerve disorder; subacromial impingement, common in athletes and others who make repetitive overhead movements;
Rotator cuff tear single physical examination test distinguishes reliably between bursitis, partial-thickness, and full-thickness tears. On the contrary, a combination of tests seems to provide the most accurate diagnosis. For impingement, these tests include the Hawkins-Kennedy impingement sign in which the examiner medially rotates the patient's flexed arm, forcing the supraspinatus tendon against the coracoacromial ligament and so producing pain if the test is positive a positive painful arc sign, and weakness in external rotation with the arm at the side. For the diagnosis of full-thickness rotator cuff tear, the best combination appears to include once more the painful arc and weakness in