The rotator cuff is the most common cause of shoulder pain. If you suffered a recent shoulder injury or simply woke up with shoulder pain that has no known cause, discuss your options for treatment or repair with a skilled orthopedic surgeon, such as Dr. Soffer in Berks County.

As a board certified orthopedic surgeon, a leading expert in sports medicine, and one of America’s Top Doctors, Dr. Stephen R. Soffer has been serving patients in Wyomissing, Reading, and beyond for more than 20 years.

He specializes in the open and arthroscopic treatment of knee, shoulder and elbow injuries, and performs artificial joint replacement for arthritis of the knee, shoulder and hip. During his career, Dr. Soffer has published articles about shoulder disorders and made academic presentations at medical conferences around the world on the topic.

Rotator Cuff Repair in Berks CountyRotator cuff problems can be caused by inflammation, tendon wear and tear, arthritis, or single injuries, such as a fall onto the shoulder. Many athletes involved in baseball, weightlifting, tennis, swimming and rowing which require repetitious overhead movements, often develop rotator cuff problems.

Your rotator cuff may be the problem if you are experiencing:

  • » pain or tenderness in the shoulder joint
  • » shoulder weakness or stiffness
  • » clicking or catching of the shoulder joint
  • » pain when reaching behind your back
  • » loss of normal shoulder rotation

 

Rotator cuff problems can also result from degenerative, genetic or age and activity related reasons. Although tears can occur during a single injury, most problems are related to tendonitis and degenerative causes.

Rotator Cuff Tears

It’s possible to have a rotator cuff tear and not even realize it.  There are acute tears (from an injury) and degenerative tears (from wear and tear over time), and each situation may require a different treatment approach.

  • »» Partial thickness tears – Partial tears occur when part of the thick rotator cuff pulls away from its attachment to the bone. The most common symptom is pain when lifting the arm overhead. This is a milder type of tear that can often be improved with conservative treatment, such as rest, ice, medication, physical therapy or an occasional injection. Surgery is not usually necessary unless the pain persists.
  • »» Full thickness tears – During a car accident or a bad fall, your rotator cuff tendon can literally pull completely away from the bone. This is considered an acute full thickness rotator cuff tear.  But, as we age, even routine daily activities like gardening and housework can cause full thickness tears. Large traumatic rotator cuff tears, and smaller tears that cause persistent pain, may benefit from rotator cuff repair surgery.

 

To diagnose a rotator cuff problem, Dr. Soffer will talk to you and examine your shoulder, moving it in different directions to evaluate its range of motion, strength and function. He may also suggest a shoulder x-ray or possibly an ultrasound scan or MRI to confirm the presence of a tear.

Rotator Cuff Repair

Some orthopedic surgeons, such as Dr. Soffer, are skilled at arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery, which has several advantages. The latest arthroscopy techniques give the doctor the ability to see the entire shoulder joint on a TV monitor, repair a tear through several small incisions, and move the camera around to address other shoulder issues. It also offers patients minimal trauma, less scarring and less damage to surrounding tissue.

Open surgery through a larger incision may sometimes be necessary to repair large tears. However, surgical decisions are generally based on the type of tear, the patient’s age and level of activity, response to conservative non-surgical treatment, and, for athletes, how far along in the playing season they are.

Dr. Soffer’s primary goal for rotator cuff repair is to return your shoulder to normal as quickly as possible. If you live in Berks County, call us at 610-375-4949 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Soffer and explore your options.


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