i have to see your mri to really make that call. personally i have to two rotator cuff repairs (both failed) and may be facing a third surgery in the future. each person's injury is really unique so it would really be impossible to blindly know if you need surgery or not unless i was intimately involved in your case. i don't even know your age or how this incident occurred. i can tell you that orthopedists are surgeons and surgeons do like to perform surgery. your cortisone injection was most likely for inflammation and pain so i hope that helps but it will not fix a complete tear.
rotator cuff injury. i have a full thickness tear of my rotator cuff seen on an mri. i also have adhesive capsulitis with possible pinched nerve in my neck. the surgeon gave me a shot of cortisone and anti inflammatory medicine into the shoulder joint. i am still having severe pain in the joint whenever i try to lift my arm over my head or behind me. will this continue to improve or will i eventually need surgery to repair the tear?