Shoulder Impingement Treatment Specialists in Manhattan, NYC

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A quick and easy shoulder impingement test tells your doctor whether you’re a candidate for shoulder impingement treatment. When you catch it early, your recovery time may be as short as a couple weeks. Treatment with physical therapy helps you regain your entire range of motion. Come to our sports injury clinic for pain evaluation and treatment. Meet our pain doctor Febin Melepura M.D. to get the pain relief you need in the safe, reassuring hands of the best shoulder impingement specialists in NYC.

Shoulder Impingement Treatment Shoulder pain is a common condition due to the number of components that make up the shoulder. The three main bones that form your shoulder are the humerus, scapula, and clavicle. And these bones are held in the shallow socket by your rotator cuff, making a rotator cuff injury the most common source of pain in the shoulder. Other sources of shoulder pain include:

Biceps tendonitis
Bursitis
Shoulder impingement

Shoulder impingement, often called a pinched nerve, happens when your rotator cuff gets pinched between your humerus and scapula. Untreated, long-term impingement can lead to various stages of shoulder arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis, which is why you should see your Midtown Manhattan sports medicine and pain doctor for shoulder impingement treatment when you experience shoulder pain.

The Shoulder Impingement Test

A shoulder impingement test is explicitly designed to target pain on the top and sides of your shoulder, which occurs when you lift your arm or rotate it out to the side. Your New York City team of experts may begin with palpitations, observations, and range-of-motion exercises to determine the extent of the damage. Then they’ll move to one or more shoulder impingement tests that may include:

Hawkins-Kennedy Test. In this exam, you raise your arm about 90 degrees in front of your body, with your elbow bent. Your doctor then moves your elbow up while moving your wrist downward. If this manipulation causes you pain, you may have a supraspinatus impingement.
Empty Can Test. During this test, you lift your arm out in front of your body at a 45-degree angle with your thumb facing the floor, as if holding a can. Your doctor applies pressure on your arm while you try to lift it. Pain during this movement indicates a potential tendon impingement.
Neer’s Sign. For this shoulder impingement test, you’re asked to place your arm in the same position as the empty can test. This time, however, the doctor pushes your arm upward above your head. Impingement is likely if this test causes you pain or discomfort.

Do You Need Shoulder Impingement Treatment with Physical Therapy?

Rotator cuff tendons pass through a very tiny opening in your shoulder, leaving them susceptible to damage. Some of the most common causes of a pinched nerve include:

Physical activities demanding constant overhead movements with your arms, such as baseball, volleyball, and football
A weakness within your rotator cuff, as well as the muscles located in your upper back
Tightness in your shoulder joint and/or muscles
Body and muscle changes due to years of wear and tear on the tendons and joints in your shoulder areas, which cause friction and tightness that can lead to pinched nerves
Congenital abnormalities
Shoulder overuse

Any sport involving throwing a ball makes you highly susceptible to shoulder pain and injuries — so play with caution and protect yourself from harm.

Dr Melepura is extremely competent with excellent bedside manor that takes a holistic approach to solving problems. A lot of doctors are quick to give cortisone injections and recommend surgery, but this is not how Dr. Melepura runs his practice. He takes the time to sit down, listen to what you say, then gives you reasonable courses of action. I’ve been dealing with shoulder impingement issues for quite some time now and it was only after an MRI and movement videos that we could really get the full idea of what was going on. After a targeted cortisone shot in the subacromial space and specific PT to restore my scapulohumeral rhythm, things are slowly getting better. The office is also extremely efficient and utilize wireless medical equipment and charting/paperwork (and they do not overbook so you will not wait long). Highly recommend Dr. Melepura.

Phil Spada

Signs and Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement

Identifying the first signs of potential impingement helps you get the proper shoulder impingement treatment as soon as possible.

The beginnings of shoulder impingement are mild and almost unnoticeable, but the symptoms become much more severe as the problem continues. Indications include:

Sharp pains in the outside portion of your shoulder
Tenderness in your shoulder when touched
Radiating pain through to your neck
Weakness around your shoulder joint
Pain when throwing a ball

Identifying the symptoms of an impingement ensures you quicker treatment and shorter shoulder impingement recovery time. Seek treatment in Manhattan as soon as the problem becomes severe. The earlier the symptoms are identified, the faster your NYC medical team can begin treatment.

Shoulder Impingement Treatment Options Vary

There are a number of shoulder impingement treatment options available. All result in either pain reduction or restoring mobility and function in your arm and shoulder. Initially, your New York City pain and sports team of medical professionals does not recommend surgery as an option. Other options you may be offered include:

Rest and restricted physical activity, explicitly avoiding tasks involving overhead movements
Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen to reduce swelling and inflammation in your shoulder
Shoulder impingement treatment with physical therapy is one of the most important solutions to help restore a full range of motion in your shoulder
Ice alternated with heat
Cortisone injection
Lifestyle changes such as:
- Improving your posture
- Adding core strengthening exercises to your routine
- Losing weight
- Quitting smoking

Surgery’s required only if all else fails. Shoulder impingement recovery time after surgery can take as long as six months before you can fully resume your previous activity level. Eventually, however, thanks to shoulder impingement treatment with physical therapy and your pain and sports experts, you’ll be able to return to your full athletic competitions pain-free.

Do you have any questions about the shoulder impingement treatment we offer in NYC? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the best-rated Dr. Febin Melepura, MD of sports pain clinic NYC? Please contact our office for a consultation with the top pain relief specialist in Midtown Manhattan.

Page Updated on Nov 1, 2022 by Dr. Melepura (Pain Management Doctor) of Sports Injury & Pain Management Clinic of New York Sports Injury & Pain Management Clinic of New York
36 W 44th St #1416
New York, NY 10036
(212) 621-7746

Febin Melepura, MD is a top rated, best in class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award winning expert and contributor to a prominent media outlets.

Dr. Febin Melepura has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain and, among other accolades, has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York”, and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for an advanced sports injury treatments.

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