Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a highly mobile joint made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the joint capsule. Because it supports lifting, reaching, and overhead movement, shoulder pain can develop after an injury or gradually through overuse, inflammation, or age-related changes. The cause, severity, and duration of pain help guide treatment. A clinician can evaluate the shoulder and identify whether symptoms may be related to tendons, the joint, surrounding soft tissue, nerves, or another condition.

Common Causes

Symptoms may include persistent aching or sharp pain, stiffness or reduced range of motion, weakness or instability, pain at night or with overhead movement, and clicking, catching, or difficulty reaching and lifting.

Sudden severe pain, visible deformity, new weakness after injury, fever, chest pain, or shortness of breath warrants prompt medical evaluation.

Care commonly begins with conservative treatment to reduce pain, improve function, and support recovery. The recommended plan depends on the diagnosis, the severity of symptoms, activity demands, and whether there is a significant tear or joint damage.

Standard Treatment Categories

• Physical therapy and guided exercise: Strengthening, mobility, and shoulder-control exercises can support function.
• Medication: Anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving medicines may be considered when appropriate.
• Injections: Corticosteroid or other injections may be considered for selected conditions and short-term symptom relief.
• Activity modification and supportive care: Rest, ice or heat, stretching, and changes to aggravating activities may help.
• Surgery: Arthroscopic repair, joint procedures, or shoulder replacement may be considered for severe damage or symptoms that do not respond adequately to nonsurgical care.

Stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) approaches are being studied as injectable biologic options for shoulder pain associated with conditions such as tendinopathy, partial rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder, and osteoarthritis. PRP uses concentrated platelets from a person’s own blood. Cell-based products are different approaches and should be interpreted separately.

What Researchers Are Studying

• Influence inflammation and signaling in shoulder tissues
• Be delivered safely and feasibly for selected shoulder conditions
• Improve pain, range of motion, strength, function, or other patient-reported outcomes
• Be further evaluated alongside rehabilitation, corticosteroid injection, or other established treatments

PRP and cell-based products are distinct approaches. Results can vary by diagnosis, chronicity, product preparation, injection technique, rehabilitation plan, and the outcomes measured.

Note: PRP and stem cell therapies for shoulder pain are investigational and are not FDA-approved. Research findings do not guarantee individual results.

How Regenerative Medicine for Shoulder Pain Is Being Studied

Researchers are studying PRP and other biologic approaches for frozen shoulder, partial rotator cuff tears, rotator cuff tendinopathy, shoulder osteoarthritis, and other tendon conditions. Studies examine pain, function, range of motion, strength, imaging findings, and safety. This work is helping identify the products, delivery methods, and patient groups that warrant continued clinical study. Stem cell treatment for shoulder pain remains investigational.

2024: PRP Reported Pain, Mobility, and Function Improvements for Frozen Shoulder

The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Platelet-Rich Plasma on Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials — Read Study

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated 14 randomized controlled trials of PRP for frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis. The researchers found that PRP was associated with improvements in pain, shoulder movement, and overall function, with some longer-term outcomes also favoring PRP over corticosteroid injections.

2024: PRP Treatment Reported Pain and Function Improvements for Partial Rotator Cuff Tears

Comparative Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection Versus PRP Combined With Vitamin C Injection for Partial-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears: A Randomized Controlled Trial — Read Study

This randomized controlled trial evaluated ultrasound-guided PRP alone compared with PRP combined with vitamin C in people with partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. Both groups experienced improvements in pain and shoulder function during follow-up, and no serious adverse events were reported. Because both groups received PRP, the study does not establish how PRP compares with placebo or standard care.

2021: MSC Research Reported Pain, Tendon-Healing, and Function Findings in Tendon Disorders

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Use in the Treatment of Tendon Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Clinical Studies — Read Study

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined four prospective human studies of mesenchymal stromal cell, or MSC, treatment for tendon disorders. Across the included studies, MSC treatment was associated with improvements in pain, physical function, and tendon-related imaging or arthroscopic findings, though the evidence was based on a small number of studies.

2021: PRP Reported Greater Pain Relief and Mobility at Three Months for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

Corticosteroids or Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study — Read Study

This randomized clinical trial included 58 people with chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy who received either a PRP injection or a corticosteroid injection. Both groups improved after treatment. At three months, the PRP group had greater improvements in pain and some measures of shoulder movement, including adduction and external rotation.

2019: PRP Reported Greater and Longer-Lasting Pain and Function Gains in Shoulder Osteoarthritis

Comparative Study Between Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection and Steroid Injection in Mild-Moderate Shoulder Osteoarthritis and Their Relation to Quality of Life — Read Study

This study compared PRP and corticosteroid injections in 50 people with mild-to-moderate shoulder osteoarthritis. Both groups improved after treatment, but the researchers reported greater and more sustained improvements in pain and shoulder function in the PRP group.