By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Rotator cuff disease is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, accounting for up to 70% of all shoulder complaints. The condition spans a wide spectrum — from tendinopathy and subacromial impingement to partial and full-thickness tears — and the vast majority of cases can be managed without surgery. But when pain is severe enough to prevent participation in physical therapy , injecti

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2025 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video If you are dealing with persistent shoulder pain — whether from a rotator cuff tear, tendinopathy, or impingement — your doctor may have recommended a cortisone injection. Cortisone is a well-established treatment that can provide quick symptom relief. But recent clinical evidence suggests that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may offer superior long-term results for many shoulder conditions. In t

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video For decades, surgery was considered the only reliable option for repairing torn tendons. Partial tears of the rotator cuff, in particular, present a clinical challenge because they rarely heal on their own and tend to worsen over time. However, emerging research suggests that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections may offer a compelling nonsurgical alternative — one that not only reduces pain

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 If you have been told that surgery is the only way to fix your rotator cuff tear, you may not have the full picture. While surgical repair is necessary in some cases, the majority of rotator cuff tears can be successfully managed without an operation — provided you take the right steps to support your recovery. As a sports medicine physician, I h

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Shoulder cracking and popping sounds can be unsettling, especially when they seem to come out of nowhere. Many patients walk into my clinic concerned that a click or pop in their shoulder means something is seriously wrong — perhaps a rotator cuff tear or the beginning of arthritis. The good news is that in the vast majority of cases, these mecha

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints I encounter in my sports medicine practice, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. Most shoulder problems do not develop from a single dramatic injury. Instead, they build gradually over time from tight muscles, poor movement habits, and the cumulative effects of everyday w