SHOULDER ROTATOR CUFF TREATMENT
We offer an ideal non-surgical solution for rotator cuff injury, rotator cuff tears, and rotator cuff tendinopathy, using an ultra-modern alternative treatment approach combining extracorporeal shockwave therapy with magnetic biostimulation therapy. We can resolve these conditions in 6 treatments or less. The worst rotator cuff tear case we ever treated involved a full thickness tear requiring 6 treatments over a 6 week period to resolve. This case remains free of pain to this day after undergoing our unique and innovative treatment protocol.
Our Non-surgical Rotator Cuff Injury Solution
Our treatment goal is to resolve your shoulder issue whether it be a rotator cuff tendinopathy, rotator cuff injury, or rotator cuff tear, in 6 treatments or less.
We totally eliminate the pain and referral symptoms experienced in the shoulder, down the arm, and up the neck.
Within a few weeks, a full range of motion is quickly restored to the shoulder in all directions.
Full strength is restored to the shoulder by halting the neurological inhibition which is an inevitable effect of shoulder injuries.
Our non-surgical shoulder injury treatments are conducted by our founder Glenn Cameron, since his ability to feel what tendons and/or muscles are involved, and exactly where the problems are on those structures. Glenn has an amazing sense of touch due to reading Braille for many years from a vision impairment and relies on this to provide the shockwave therapy treatment. He feels the exact location of each dysfunction in every tendon, but can also feel what the shockwaves are doing as they enter the body. He knows exactly how the process is making adjustments constantly to ensure ultimate precision. This is why we can solve shoulder issues with a high degree of certainty.
The disorganized muscle and tendon fibres are untwisted and untangled, returning the thousands of fibres to their normal state. Frayed fibres heal stronger than ever with a much stronger form of collagen due to the reaction to the shockwaves. Painful chemical irritants produced by the injured muscle/tendon fibre damage are flushed from the region, eliminating pain. Production of painful inflammation and metabolic chemical irritants is halted. Neurological inhibition affecting the strength of the muscles is eliminated, allowing full strength to return to the shoulder. All muscles of the chest, back, and neck which were over-worked when the shoulder had no strength are treated for myofascial adhesions and extreme contractures, returning them to normal. This eliminates pain being produced by these muscles due to compensation for weakened shoulder muscles.
A full hour treatment is administered once per week, but situations do arise when 2 treatments are required within the same week. Decisions on this are made at that time, determined by the nature of the shoulder injury. No shoulder immobilization is required during our entire treatment process. You can use your shoulder. No pain medication is required as treatments quickly diminish the pain, even at night. In fact, night pain should be completely eliminated after 3 treatments.
For more information on our non-surgical approach to muscle and tendon injuries, please contact us to schedule a no-charge consultation/assessment.
- Definition: What Is A Rotator Cuff?
Rotator cuff is the term used to identify the 4 main muscles and their tendons of the shoulder, whose job is to stabilize the upper arm bone, (humerus) in precise alignment with the shoulder socket. There is no physical structure called a rotator cuff. Any one of these 4 muscles and their tendons can be referred to as a rotator cuff muscle. The 4 muscles are, the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis and Teres Minor. Since these 4 muscles are responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint, they are the ones most often injured in a shoulder injury. The most common injured of the 4 is the supraspinatus muscle and its tendon.
Shoulder Injuries: What Happens?
The upper end of the humerus is shaped like a ball, which forms part of the shoulder’s ball-and-socket joint. This ball called the humeral head does not sit into a deep stable socket like that of the hip joint. Rather it is only half-way into the shallow socket which is deepened by a ring of extremely strong cartilage called a labrum. The humerus is held in position into this shallow socket by extremely strong and durable connective tissue called ligaments, which wrap around the socket completely. The many muscles of the shoulder and their tendons give the arm its movement in all possible directions, making it the most movable joint in the body.
The 4 rotator cuff muscles firmly anchor the humeral head precisely in the centre of this shallow socket and ensure it stays there through all of the ranges of motion the shoulder is capable of moving through.
The Injury
Shoulder injuries occur in 1 of 2 ways, repetitive minor cumulative injuries over time, or sudden trauma (accidents).
1. Repetitive injuries can be explained as repeated, minor injuries to the muscle, and/or tendon, slowly damaging fibres. This damage accumulates over many years until the muscle and/or tendon begin to break down, not capable of providing the strength and endurance required for daily activities. Minor injuries to muscles and tendons include:
- Myofascial adhesion
- Formation in the muscle
- Scar tissue
- Formation in muscle which suffered a minor tear at some time
- Tendonitis that didn’t thoroughly heal
- Disorganization of tendon fibres, where some of the many fibres became twisted and tangled back upon themselves
- Fraying or breaking apart of some of the tendon’s many fibresCalcific Tendonitis
One or more of the above-listed mechanisms may eventually lead to failure of the involved muscle or its tendon. At this point in time, you will likely experience any of the following symptoms:
- Significant pain to the front of the shoulder
- Weakness in the shoulder when moving the arm forward, sideways, and up beside the head
- Some range of motion will be lost noticeable when trying to put on a coat or shirt, with pain to the back of the shoulder
- Pins/needles or other sensation of numbness will travel down the arm into the hands and fingers
- The hand may feel cold
Symptoms of any nature may travel upwards into the neck, face, head and/or jaw.
some examples of repetitive strain activities include playing sports, hard physical work and vigorous exercising not suitable for your age.
2. Sudden Trauma (Accidents) This type of shoulder injury refers to a single incident or accident where the shoulder was directly injured. Examples of trauma would include:
- Falling on an outstretched elbow or arm
- Falling and reaching up to grab something to halt the impending fall
- Arm was suddenly and forcefully pulled, almost dislocating it from its socket
- Exercising the shoulder with a weight that was too heavy
- Vigorous exercise with routines excessive for your age
- Most trauma situations cause damage to tendons since they are not capable of withstanding sudden forces across their fibres like muscle can. Muscles can also suffer trauma, but it is rare.
- Torn Tendon
Since muscles are very elastic and tendons are not, damage almost always occurs to the tendons.
Tendons are comprised of hundreds of thousands of individual, extremely strong and durable fibres. They can withstand minor occurrences of strain and stretch, but within a narrow tolerance of each. If the sudden forces on the tendon exceed its ability to resist them, damage instantly occurs.
In such situations, the tendon will split apart into small or large sections, involving many thousands of fibres. Tears typically occur where the supraspinatus tendon attaches to the humerus bone. The tendon literally begins peeling away from the bone.
Partial thickness tears refer to tears that have developed on one side of a tendon which is roughly round in shape. The tendon splits along its length, and inward as some of its fibres peel away from the bone.
Full thickness tears are more severe, characterized by a split in the tendon which is completely through it from one side to the other. Picture if you can what a rope would look like if you pushed a sharp knife from one side through to the other side. Take the knife out nd you would see a split in the rope completely through it. This is a full thickness tear.
In both cases, the tendon still has fibres attaching it to the humerus. It is rare to see a tendon completely torn off the bone.
If you are interested in scheduling a consultation/assessment, please contact us at your convenience.