Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment & Repair
Diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff tears and tendinopathy, from rehabilitation and injections to surgical repair, in Port St. Lucie and Palm Beach Gardens.
What is the rotator cuff?
Four muscles and their tendons wrap the top of the upper arm bone and keep the ball of the shoulder centered in its socket while the arm moves. A tear can come from a fall or a heavy lift, or wear through gradually with age and years of overhead work or sport.
The typical signs are an ache at night, pain reaching overhead or behind your back, and weakness lifting the arm.
Not every tear needs surgery
Tendinopathy and many partial-thickness tears settle with physical therapy and changes to how the shoulder is loaded. For pain that has hung on, the practice offers orthobiologics, including PRP, and radial shockwave therapy for long-standing rotator cuff tendinopathy.
When repair makes sense
Surgery is considered for full-thickness tears in active people, for tears with sudden weakness after an injury, and for tears that stay painful and weak despite good rehabilitation. A tear caused by a specific injury is worth assessing early, because a torn tendon left alone can pull back and become harder to repair.
Repair reattaches the torn tendon to the bone. It is done arthroscopically wherever the tear allows. Recovery means protecting the repair in a sling at first, then several months of structured therapy to bring back movement and strength.
Some long-standing tears can no longer be repaired. For those shoulders, a reverse shoulder replacement is designed to let the arm lift again without the rotator cuff.
Rotator cuff problems we treat
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
A worn, irritated tendon without a full tear.
Partial-thickness tears
A tear through part of the tendon's thickness.
Full-thickness tears
A tear all the way through, which leaves a hole in the cuff.
Acute tears after an injury
A fall or a heavy lift, followed by sudden weakness.
Large or long-standing tears
Tears that have been present for some time and may have retracted.
What to expect
- An exam that tests strength and movement in each direction
- Usually X-rays and an MRI to see the tendon and the bone
- Non-surgical treatment first wherever it is likely to work
- Arthroscopic repair wherever the tear allows
- A rehabilitation plan written to protect the repair while it heals
- Care at both offices, from the first visit through follow-up
FAQ
Common Patient Questions
A torn tendon does not usually knit back together by itself, but many partial and age-related tears stop hurting and work well again with rehabilitation.
An ache at night, pain reaching overhead and weakness lifting the arm all point that way. An exam and imaging, usually X-rays and an MRI, confirm it.
Several months. The arm is protected in a sling at first, then movement and strength come back in stages on a therapy plan.
Wherever the tear allows, yes, through small incisions.
Some long-standing tears can no longer be repaired. Depending on the shoulder, options include continued rehabilitation and a reverse shoulder replacement, which is designed to work without the rotator cuff.
In most cases, no referral is required to schedule a consultation. Some insurance plans require one for specialist visits to be covered, and our staff can help confirm your plan's requirements.
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Rotator cuff treatment in Port St. Lucie & Palm Beach Gardens
Dr. Matarazzo sees patients for this at both offices — Port St. Lucie (1100 SW St. Lucie West Blvd., Ste. 105) and Palm Beach Gardens (11380 Prosperity Farms Rd, Ste 204). Patients travel in from Stuart, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, Jupiter, North Palm Beach and West Palm Beach — see every area we serve, or call 561-202-8886.