The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body — and the most commonly injured. Whether it's a rotator cuff tear, impingement, or frozen shoulder, Dr. Cisneros delivers precise hands-on care to restore full, pain-free function.
Shoulder pain can stem from many different structures. An accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment.
Pain and weakness with overhead movements, reaching behind the back, or lifting. Many partial tears respond excellently to PT without surgery.
Pinching pain when reaching overhead or across the body. Caused by poor shoulder mechanics and muscle imbalances — highly responsive to targeted rehab.
Progressive stiffness and pain that limits shoulder movement in all directions. Manual therapy and specific mobilization techniques dramatically accelerate recovery.
Pain at the top of the shoulder or deep joint pain with pushing/pressing movements. Common in overhead athletes, CrossFit competitors, and weightlifters.
A feeling of the shoulder slipping or "going out," especially after a dislocation or subluxation. Stability rehab can restore confidence and prevent recurrence.
Recovery after rotator cuff repair, SLAP repair, labrum surgery, or shoulder replacement. One-on-one PT optimizes surgical outcomes and restores full function.
Effective shoulder rehab requires restoring the relationship between the shoulder blade, rotator cuff, and thoracic spine. Dr. Cisneros's approach addresses the whole system, not just the pain site.
Most shoulder problems involve stiffness in the thoracic spine and scapular dyskinesis — poor shoulder blade movement. Every evaluation assesses both to ensure nothing is missed.
Hands-on techniques targeting the glenohumeral joint, AC joint, and thoracic spine to restore mobility and reduce pain. Particularly effective for frozen shoulder and post-surgical stiffness.
Targeted dry needling of the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles to reduce chronic tension and trigger points that contribute to impingement and rotator cuff pain.
For athletes who press, snatch, or do overhead work — Dr. Cisneros's background in Olympic weightlifting means your technique and shoulder mechanics are corrected alongside your injury rehab.
It depends what you mean by "fix." The tear itself doesn't disappear — but tendon and muscle can remodel and strengthen around the tear to restore real functional capacity. Dr. Cisneros tailors shoulder mobility, rotator cuff and scapular strengthening, then functional strengthening. For small-to-moderate tears this often restores function well, and research shows outcomes for many moderate tears can match surgery. Progress is gradual, and a very large tear may genuinely need a surgeon — he'll give you an honest assessment of which path fits your tear.
Most patients with shoulder impingement see significant improvement within 6–8 sessions over 4–6 weeks. Full resolution typically takes 8–12 sessions depending on how long the problem has been present.
Yes — completely stopping is almost never the answer; there's always something productive you can train. Dr. Cisneros uses load modification, especially for impingement, to keep you moving while the tissue calms. The exceptions are instability-driven injuries: with a large labral tear, positions that provoke instability (throwing, end-range overhead) should be avoided, and with a posterior labral tear with instability, hanging from a bar isn't advised. You can train around most shoulder injuries — but if the underlying impairments aren't addressed by a PT, the problem compounds, so a comprehensive evaluation guides what's safe to load.
No. Texas allows direct access to physical therapy. You can schedule your evaluation without a physician referral, saving you time and a co-pay.
In El Paso, Solas Physical Therapy offers one-on-one shoulder pain treatment with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS. Treatment includes manual therapy, dry needling, rotator cuff strengthening, and movement retraining tailored to your specific diagnosis — whether that's impingement, rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, or bursitis. No referral needed. Located at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, El Paso, TX 79912. Call (915) 318-7381.
The most common causes of shoulder pain are rotator cuff tears or tendinopathy, shoulder impingement syndrome (subacromial), frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), bursitis, AC joint irritation, and labral tears. Overhead athletes and CrossFit athletes frequently develop impingement from repetitive pressing and pulling movements. A clinical evaluation identifies the specific cause — which determines the most effective treatment approach.
Yes — for partial thickness tears and many full thickness tears in non-overhead athletes, physical therapy produces outcomes equivalent to surgery. Treatment focuses on strengthening the surrounding rotator cuff muscles to compensate for the torn tissue, restoring mechanics, and reducing impingement. At Solas PT in El Paso, Dr. Cisneros will give you an honest assessment of whether your specific tear can be managed conservatively — or whether surgical consultation is warranted.
Seek prompt evaluation if shoulder pain followed a traumatic injury (fall, dislocation), is accompanied by significant weakness or inability to raise the arm, involves numbness or tingling down the arm, or is not improving after 2–3 weeks. These may indicate a significant rotator cuff tear, labral injury, or cervical nerve issue. For most other shoulder pain — even severe — a physical therapy evaluation is the appropriate first step before imaging or specialist referral.
Most patients with shoulder impingement see significant improvement within 6–8 sessions over 4–6 weeks. Full resolution typically takes 8–12 sessions depending on how long the problem has been present. The key is addressing the underlying cause — usually weak rotator cuff and scapular muscles — not just reducing pain temporarily.
It depends what you mean by 'fix.' The tear itself doesn't disappear — but tendon and muscle can remodel and, importantly, strengthen around the tear to restore real functional capacity. Dr. Cisneros tailors a program of shoulder-joint mobility, rotator cuff and scapular strengthening, then functional strengthening. For small-to-moderate tears this often restores function well, and research shows outcomes for many moderate tears can match rotator cuff surgery. Progress is gradual, and a very large tear may genuinely need a surgeon. So yes — for most cuff tears, PT helps by building the muscle and tendon properties around the tear rather than by erasing it.
Solas Physical Therapy in El Paso specializes in rotator cuff injuries, shoulder impingement, frozen shoulder, and post-surgical shoulder rehab. Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS provides one-on-one doctoral-level care combining manual therapy, dry needling, and targeted strengthening. Located at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, El Paso, TX 79912. No referral needed. Same-week appointments. Call (915) 318-7381.
Yes — completely stopping is almost never the answer; there's always something productive you can train. Dr. Cisneros uses load modification, especially for shoulder impingement, to keep you moving while the tissue calms. The exceptions are instability-driven injuries: with a large labral tear, positions that provoke instability — throwing, end-range overhead — should be avoided, and with a posterior labral tear with instability, hanging from a bar isn't advised. You can train around most shoulder injuries, but if the underlying impairments aren't addressed by a PT, the problem compounds — so a comprehensive evaluation is what guides what's safe to load.
No. Texas is a direct access state — you can see a licensed physical therapist for shoulder pain without a physician's referral. At Solas PT in El Paso, there is no referral requirement, no prior authorization, and no insurance involvement. Book online at solaspt.com or call (915) 318-7381 to start treatment this week.
Solas Physical Therapy is a top-rated choice for shoulder pain treatment in El Paso, holding a 5.0-star rating across 36 Google reviews. Dr. Cisneros restores shoulder mobility first, then progresses rotator cuff and scapular strengthening into functional strengthening. Even with a rotator cuff tear, tendon and muscle can remodel and strengthen around the tear to restore real functional capacity, so surgery is not the automatic answer. Every session is one-on-one with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS for the full 60 minutes — no aides, no double-booking. Solas PT is cash-based and direct-access at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, and can usually see new patients the same week with no referral required.
Same-week appointments available. No referral needed. One-on-one with Dr. Cisneros every session.
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