If the tear is not severe, treatments may include rest, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, a corticosteroid injection, or a combination of the above. After that, outpatient arthroscopic shoulder surgery is considered.
Exercise & Physical Therapy: The first step in treatment is to try home exercise, along with a series of physical therapy sessions. A primary goal of physical therapy is to preserve or even extend your arm's range of motion and alleviate any pain. Once the pain is reduced, and motion is improving, it is equally important to expand the physical therapy program to include exercises that will strengthen muscles, taking some of the stress off the subscapularis tendon.
Cortisone Injection: In conjunction with physical therapy, many patients find short-term relief with cortisone injections that fight inflammation. Cortisone is a corticosteroid that has been shown to have a dramatic effect on the pain and swelling associated with a variety of rotator cuff injuries through its powerful ability to reduce inflammation. However, corticosteroid injections are avoided if surgery is being considered due to an increased risk of infection.
Surgery: If the tear is significant, and not responding to a conservative approach, an outpatient procedure using arthroscopic technique is the preferred method to treat these tears.