Rotator cuff pathology is one of the most common sources of shoulder pain—and one of the most inconsistently managed. This course brings clarity to the gray areas clinicians face when diagnosing and treating rotator cuff-related pain.
Through clear clinical reasoning, you'll learn to differentiate between tendinopathy, impingement, partial tears, and complete tears—whether degenerative or traumatic in nature. The session outlines a practical framework for assessment, including how to use palpation, resisted testing, and ROM to build a working diagnosis that maps directly to your treatment strategy.
You’ll explore how to triage based on irritability, functional loss, and imaging thresholds, with an emphasis on when to treat conservatively and when to consider surgical consult. Specific treatment guidelines address isometric loading, tendon capacity building, joint congruency restoration, and functional strength—based on presentation and recovery stage.
Whether managing early tendinopathy or planning prehab for surgical candidates, this course helps clinicians deliver tailored care, faster progressions, and better long-term outcomes.
Differentiate tendinopathy, impingement, and rotator cuff tear presentations
Clinical tests that inform pathology, irritability, and treatment choice
Guidelines for imaging and referral timing
Rehab strategies for partial vs full tears, tendonitis vs tendonosis
How to scale load, function, and complexity based on patient presentation
Use of scapular rhythm, compressive testing, and feel-good load strategies
How to use this course
Before we begin...
Welcome!
Lesson 1 - Introduction & Terminology
Lesson 2 - Structure & Function of the Rotator Cuff
Lesson 3 - The Continuum
Lesson 4 - Additional Considerations
Lesson 5 - Assessment
Lesson 6 - Diagnostics
Lesson 7 - When to Recommend Imaging and/or Surgery
Lesson 8 - Treatment
Lesson 9 - Summary
Course Evaluation Form
Thank You!
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