Do interstitial rotator cuff tears heal on their own or is surgery needed?

[Dagron]

I had the same tear, 4 or 5 years ago. When it happened, I thought it was a stinger, so I kept playing for a few weeks, every other tackle I would get this knifing pain, burning/tingling and then numbness... turns out it was of course the rotator and I damned near ripped the thing off the bone. Anyway, I never had surgery, I simply did external rotations for reps, then over the weeks as the knifing pain subsided, slowly added weight to it (1/2 lbs. DB, 1 lbs. DB, then 2.5, 5, 7.5) it took nearly 6 months, but I have no pain and a pair of strong rotator cuffs now, and because I never had surgery I have a full range of motion.

The only supplements I was taking was MSM, Glucosamine, Bromelain and aspirin. From what I now know, Cissuss and possibly IGF-1 would help significantly as well, but as I said I did fine with just the basics. Bottom line, YES you can rehab it just fine, just be very careful when doing your rotations that you don't push it too hard too fast.

[Tommy Gunn]

I had the same tear, 4 or 5 years ago. When it happened, I thought it was a stinger, so I kept playing for a few weeks, every other tackle I would get this knifing pain, burning/tingling and then numbness... turns out it was of course the rotator and I damned near ripped the thing off the bone. Anyway, I never had surgery, I simply did external rotations for reps, then over the weeks as the knifing pain subsided, slowly added weight to it (1/2 lbs. DB, 1 lbs. DB, then 2.5, 5, 7.5) it took nearly 6 months, but I have no pain and a pair of strong rotator cuffs now, and because I never had surgery I have a full range of motion.

The only supplements I was taking was MSM, Glucosamine, Bromelain and aspirin. From what I now know, Cissuss and possibly IGF-1 would help significantly as well, but as I said I did fine with just the basics. Bottom line, YES you can rehab it just fine, just be very careful when doing your rotations that you don't push it too hard too fast.

I appreciate the response but I think you had a different injury than me. I do not have a partial tendon tear. My tendon is fully intact. I have an interstitial tear.