ESPN West Palm Tonight interviewed Ryan W. Simovitch, MD, director of the Shoulder Division at HSS Florida on-air to discuss the main causes of rotator cuff tears, how they can be treated, and how to avoid them. 

Dr. Simovitch said torn rotator cuffs are the majority of what he sees in his practice and are very common among athletes of all ages and become more prevalent as people get older. 

According to Dr. Simovitch, the most common symptoms to look out for are night pain, reduced range of motion, and loss of shoulder strength. 

In terms of treatment, some patients do well with physical therapy and injections.  For others with profound symptoms who haven't responded to these modalities, a conversation about surgery is typically the next step. 

Dr. Simovitch underscored the importance of warming up and conditioning before working out and encouraged people to be careful of overhead activities particularly with weights.

This episode aired live on March 10, 2023. Listen to the podcast at podcasts.apple.com.