Thinking of having shoulder surgery? Read this first!

I’ve had many patients who have been told they need surgery for their rotator cuff, but they might be in jobs or situations where taking 2 to 3 months off is not an option. When I tell them that physical therapy may not only improve, but resolve their symptoms, they are sometimes skeptical. I’ve had great success with these patients, and I’ve had many who were able to avoid surgery completely. In a recent study in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, researchers looked at the effectiveness of physical therapy in treating full-thickness (atraumatic) rotator cuff tears. After studying over 450 patients, the researchers found that patients reported significant improvements at 6 and 12 weeks. They also found at a 2 year follow-up that physical therapy was effective and resulted in 75% of the participants not needing surgery. With the combination of manual therapy and therapeutic exercise by a skilled physical therapist, you can experience the same benefits these patients received. Are you having shoulder pain? Or have you already gotten the results of an MRI saying you have a rotator cuff tear? Call today (414-763-2941) for an appointment and begin decreasing your pain and improving your overall function and quality of life!

Michael Roberts, PT, DPT

Wisconsin Orthopedic Physical Therapy

10125 W. North Ave.

Wauwatosa, WI 53226

www.wiscopt.com 

Kuhn, John E., et al. "Effectiveness of physical therapy in treating atraumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears: a multicenter prospective cohort study." Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (2013).