| My son has a rotator cuff tear and has an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to discuss surgery or PRP options. However, his appointment will be over a month after the injury. Will this delay adversely affect his chances for a complete recovery? Secondly, what should he be doing with the injury in the mean time (ice, heat, sling, anti-inflammatory)? | |
 Dr. Andrew Blecher |
It depends on whether he has a partial or complete rotator cuff tear. A partial tear can wait and may benefit from ice, anti-inflammatories and physical therapy. Partial tears also respond very well to PRP treatment. Complete rotator cuff tears don’t respond as well to PRP. The standard of care would be surgical repair and the longer you wait the more the tear can retract and fray and the muscle can atrophy making repair more difficult. |
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