“How can you treat shoulder pain? Patients often ask me that question. Shoulder pain is very common. Studies have shown approximately 65 percent of people throughout their life will experience an episode of shoulder pain. Some of the treatments that we have for shoulder pain: The first thing I tell patients is to rest, stop doing the activity that bothers you. It seems simple, but it’s actually very effective. Physical therapy is very effective in treating shoulder pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles. It helps to decrease some of the inflammation around the shoulder. If that doesn’t work, there are medications that will treat shoulder pain. There are oral medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, and there are actually some anti-inflammatory creams that we could rub on your shoulder to help with the shoulder pain. If those things don’t work, then injections have been shown to be helpful, especially for what’s called adhesive capsulitis, or limited motion in the shoulder. There are different types of injections, most commonly a steroid injection, where we take some anti-inflammatory medicine and inject it into your joint. There are also newer injections, such as PRP injections. Finally there’s surgery. Surgery is an option if conservative measures fail. However 90 percent of people with shoulder pain will get better without surgery.”
Make an appointment with Jonathan Gordon, MD
Jonathan Gordon, MD, is a board certified orthopedist, specializing in sports medicine and foot and ankle surgery, at Mount Sinai Doctors, seeing patients Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Trained in Philadelphia and New York, he is certified by the American College of Orthopedics. He was awarded his medical degree from Drexel University, where he completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery, and completed his fellowship in Foot and Ankle Surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Dr. Gordon serves as the Medical Consultant for the NBA Milwaukee Bucks and a consulting physician for the New York Police Department and the Fire Department of New York. Prior to joining Mount Sinai Doctors, he served as an Orthopedic Consultant for the U.S. Figure Skating Association, American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, World Boxing Association, and the University of Connecticut Men’s basketball team. His research includes examinations of lower extremity trauma and the biomechanics of the ankle. He has a particular interest in arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgery of the knee, shoulder, foot and ankle.