Two months ago I had surgery to fix the rotator cuff tendon in my right shoulder. I was steadily regaining strength and motion with therapy after surgery. Last week I felt a pop with a sharp pain after helping my wife move furniture. The shoulder pain has continued and I now have more weakness. What can be done?

You probably have retorn your rotator cuff tendon because your initial repair has not fully healed. You should be re-examined by your doctor to confirm that your injury was a re-tear and not something else. An arthrogram, where dye is injected into the shoulder and the area viewed with an X-ray, can outline the location of the tear. A more costly MRI can provide a more detailed picture. The rotator cuff tendon re-tear can be operated on again. Results are influenced by the quality of the torn tissue, the amount of motion before surgery, the degree of arthritis and the age of the tear. A torn tendon can have a tendency to retract away from the torn edge because the muscle contracts. In time, scarring can fix the tendon in a retracted position, making it difficult to mobilize and restore the tendon. Prompt attention is imperative if a second surgical rotator cuff tendon repair is going to be successful.