Alternatives to Shoulder Surgery: Preserving Active Quality of Life without Invasive Procedures
By Dr. Joseph Mejia, DO, FAAPMR
Medical Director, Performance Ortho
Chronic shoulder pain presents as one of the most common orthopedic conditions across aging adults. In addition to chronic pain, functional limitations are common and often interfere with work, hobbies and athletic activities while causing psychological distress and reduced quality of life.
In most cases, shoulder pain originates within the ball-and-socket joint or supporting muscles, as conditions such as osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tears present as typical ailments amongst patients.
Depending on each individual’s specific condition and risk factors, many clinicians may suggest invasive total or partial shoulder replacement surgery as a primary intervention, or a less aggressive arthroscopic shoulder surgery as a secondary option. Either way, these surgical procedures come with extensive rehabilitation, long recovery times and without post-surgical guarantees.
At Performance Ortho, surgical interventions are only recommended once we explore all non-surgical options first. Performance has a 25-year history of generating positive outcomes through innovative, minimally invasive solutions including stem cell therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) as the cornerstone of non-surgical treatments.
Our NJ Orthopedic Clinics’ Unique Approach
At Performance Ortho, we take a team-based, multi-disciplinary approach to care, designing individualized treatment journeys for every patient. Most patients benefit from the expertise of a coordinated team of orthopedic specialists, including surgeons, pain physicians, and rehabilitation experts, all working together in one comprehensive facility. This integrated model ensures a unified treatment plan that accelerates recovery, minimizes downtime, and maximizes results
Physical Rehabilitation for long Term Success
The long-term success of any orthopedic treatment plan is defined by the patient’s ability to return to healthy, pain-free function and movement. Achieving this requires full engagement in a comprehensive rehabilitation program, neglecting rehabilitation or cutting this short often leads to setbacks or long-term failure.
At Performance Ortho, our rehabilitation team includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractic physicians and acupuncturists which are under direct supervision of our physicians and surgeons. While not every patient will need every service, your physician will recommend the most appropriate therapies based on your diagnosis and goals, ensuring your treatment plan is both effective and personalized.
One of these conservative procedures is Active Release Technique (ART). In ART, the treating physician will use their hands in a manual technique to identify regions of dysfunctional muscle, ligament, or tendon tissue. Once identified, the physician/therapist will apply specifically directed pressure over the affected or related anatomical structures while the patient performs specific body movements. Most patients will notice an improvement over several sessions.
Additionally, shockwave laser therapies and cartilage-clearing procedures such as TenJet© are options worth exploring with your Performance Ortho physician.
Medications and Anti-Inflammatories to Mitigate Shoulder Pain
Many patients share that high pain levels make it difficult to fully participate in a rehabilitation program. In these situations, our physicians may recommend a course of anti-inflammatory treatment to help reduce pain and allow for better progress. This may include oral medications or targeted anti-inflammatory injections, tailored to each patient’s needs.
For less severe complaints, over the counter anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin and ibuprofen are fine supplementary options to treat inflammation and impingement in the shoulder in conjunction with a targeted treatment plan. As with all medications, these should not be used indefinitely and over time can cause delayed healing and open the potential for slowed tendon and major muscle healing.
Dr. Mejia elaborates, “Over the counter and prescription medications can be valuable, non-invasive tools for managing shoulder pain in the short term when they’re used thoughtfully and as part of a broader plan. At Performance Ortho, we tailor every treatment pathway to the individual: your diagnosis, goals, and daily demands. Medications are not one-size-fits-all and they’re not risk-free, so please speak with your Performance Ortho clinician before starting or changing any medication. Together, we’ll choose the safest, most effective next step.”
Platelet Rich Plasma or Stem Cell Therapy for Shoulder Pain
As one of the most mobile and over-utilized joints in the human body, your shoulders are placed under a great amount of stress each day. Gradual degeneration of cartilage can lead to osteoarthritis, creating bone spurs which cause intense pain and limit mobility greatly. Regenerative medicine is an innovative field focused on harnessing your bodies’ own healing potential and localizing it through targeted injections to accelerate healing.
At Performance Ortho, we’ve generated positive outcomes through isolating these growth factors within the shoulder. Our orthopedic clinics in NJ are recognized as a regional innovator of regenerative medicine, performing over 2,000 procedures. If you’ve already undergone an invasive shoulder surgery in the past and are still experiencing pain or limited mobility, regenerative medicine is a strong revisionary intervention to prevent any need for follow-up procedures.
Whether you’ve undergone prior surgery or not, our team at Performance Ortho encourages patients to schedule a consultation to discuss their regenerative medicine treatment options. One of our physicians will walk you through various treatment options and candidacy for stem cell or PRP injections.
Contact Performance Ortho for More Information
If you or a loved one is struggling with chronic shoulder pain and contemplating replacement or arthroscopic shoulder surgery, or are just confused on what your options are, we implore you to give us a call and book a consultation.
Contact one of our four New Jersey ortho clinics in Branchburg, Somerset, Watchung, and Hillsborough. Our compassionate team and their expertise are here to help you through every step of your journey to pain relief.