Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Injuries

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint and one of the most mobile joints in the body. It enables the body to the move the arm in a circular motion, forward, backward, up and down. Made up of four tendons, the rotator cuff gives the shoulder its wide range of motion. Tendons connect the muscles to the bone. If the tendons become inflamed or damaged, moving your shoulder can be painful.

Shoulder pain is common and can be caused by a number of factors. Most shoulder pain can be traced back to tendon inflammation, such as bursitis or tendonitis, osteoarthritis of the shoulder, instability issues or a fracture.

The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles and their tendons that are important in the movement, strength and stabilization of the shoulder joint. A rotator cuff tear can occur with significant trauma to the shoulder, such as a fall or as a result breakdown of the tendons with aging. A tear can be small, or the tendon can be completely torn. Pain with movement, weakness of the shoulder and night pain are common symptoms of a rotator cuff tear. Some tears of the rotator cuff can be managed conservatively with rest, medications and physical therapy; however, some may need surgery to fix the tear.

In both our experience and in clinical studies, treatment of various types of shoulder pain with either PRP or with stem cells has resulted in improved mobility and reduced pain for patients.  Recently, a study was released that demonstrated improved healing and less likelihood for a re-tear of the rotator cuff after surgery in patients treated with stem cells at the time of surgery. Call to schedule an appointment to discuss your treatment options with one of our physicians, and determine if a regenerative treatment is appropriate for you.