Shoulder injuries after an accident or at work

The shoulder is vulnerable in collisions, falls, and lifting injuries — including from the seatbelt in a crash. Common injuries we treat include rotator-cuff strains and tears, sprains, impingement, labral injuries, and joint inflammation.

Common injuries we treat include rotator-cuff strains and tears, sprains, impingement, labral injuries, and joint inflammation such as bursitis.

A T-bone or side-impact crash drives force straight through the door into the shoulder on that side, which is why one-sided shoulder pain after an intersection collision is so common.

Symptoms

• Shoulder pain, especially with lifting or reaching overhead
• Weakness or limited range of motion
• Pain at night or when lying on the shoulder
• Clicking, catching, or instability

Diagnosis & treatment

After an orthopedic examination and imaging (digital X-ray, MRI when needed), most shoulder injuries are treated without surgery using physical therapy, pain management, and activity modification. We coordinate surgical evaluation only if non-surgical care isn’t enough.

Long Island offices & service areas

We treat shoulder injuries across Nassau and Suffolk County from offices including Medford, Islandia, East Islip, Mineola, Bohemia, Smithtown and Stony Brook. Find your nearest office →

Not near one of our offices? We can help arrange transportation to your appointment, or coordinate your care with providers in our Long Island network — call (631) 560-8357 to ask.

Shoulder injury FAQ

Do shoulder injuries heal without surgery?

Many do. Rotator-cuff strains, sprains, and impingement often improve with physical therapy and pain management; surgery is reserved for cases that don’t respond.

Why does my shoulder hurt more at night?

Night pain is common with rotator-cuff and joint injuries and is a good reason to be evaluated.

Is treatment covered?

Accident-related care is billed to No-Fault and work injuries to Workers’ Comp, so eligible visits are typically $0 out of pocket.

What is actually causing my shoulder pain?

Shoulder pain after an accident or work injury usually traces to one of a handful of structures — the rotator cuff tendons, the labrum in the socket, the AC joint at the top, or the neck referring pain into the shoulder. They are told apart by where the pain sits, which movements reproduce it, and specific strength tests, with imaging added when the exam points toward a tear.

Should I keep my arm in a sling?

Only briefly, and only where it is indicated. A sling protects a freshly injured shoulder, but a shoulder left immobile stiffens quickly, and that stiffness can become a bigger problem than the original injury. Most plans move to gentle guided motion early and use the sling for comfort in between.

When the pain follows a break, not a strain

Shoulder pain that starts the moment of a fall or a crash, with the arm hanging useless, is a different problem from pain that built up over months. See broken upper arm (humerus fracture) for what a break at the top of the arm bone looks like and why the shoulder stiffens afterwards.