Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment in NYC

Shoulder pain is one of the most common conditions treated at our facility.  Although several types of injuries and conditions (including arthritis) can cause pain in the shoulder joint, there is a high incidence of tears in the rotator cuff.  See below for information on how a rotator cuff tear can occur, how it can impair mobility and well-being, and how we successfully treat the damage with safe, non-surgical therapies.

The rotator cuff is a structure comprised of muscles and tendons that provide stability to the shoulder joint.  The name stems from the “cuff” shape the structure forms at the joint, where it expands and contracts to allow for proper movement of the arm.

Trauma or habitual wear-and-tear can cause the tendons and muscles that form the rotator cuff to rupture, resulting in loss of mobility and varying degrees of pain.  If not promptly treated, the condition can worsen and cause long-term damage.  Patients who regularly engage their arms in swinging motions are highly susceptible to developing a rotator cuff tear – this group includes athletes, bodybuilders, martial artists, drummers, musical conductors, and more.

A rotator cuff tear can be clearly diagnosed by symptoms such as shoulder pain that increases with a rotating motion of the arm, as well as weakness or pain resulting from arm motion.  We utilize an advanced ultrasound device that produces a live image of the affected soft tissue and allows our doctors to detect any tears or injuries.

A personalized treatment protocol will be developed following an examination to determine the extent of the damage.  We offer the latest non-surgical therapies with high success rates and help patients avoid costly, high-risk, and painful surgical procedures in the majority of cases.

The most effective treatment in order to restore mobility and reduce pain caused by a rotator cuff tear is physical therapy.  Our staff is certified and well-versed in the treatment of rotator cuff tear and in addition to providing a customized exercise regime to strengthen and heal damaged soft tissue, supplementary treatments are also offered in-house, including:

Cold laser therapy:  Cold Laser Therapy uses a painless low-level laser is applied directly to the injured area to stimulate regeneration of damaged tissue and reduce inflammation at the cellular level.

Soft-tissue mobilization:  our doctors are certified ART® (Active Release Techniques®) and Graston Technique® providers – both therapies offer different approaches to manual and instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization for improved healing and treatment of any existing scar tissue.

Medical massage therapy:  our licensed and certified massage therapists offer customized soft tissue manipulation to increase comfort and enhance the recovery process.

Acupuncture:  our licensed acupuncturist further aids in reducing pain with the use of this highly effective holistic treatment protocol.

Pain management:  our board-certified medical doctor offers a range of pain-relieving injections that assist the patient in controlling pain in order to successfully complete a physical therapy cycle without the impairment of inflammation or pain.