Can fat injection provide relief for shoulder pain in wheelchair users with SCI?

Shoulder pain is a common occurrence among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury because they rely solely on their upper limbs to perform everyday tasks. Often, pain is caused by soft-tissue injuries such as damage to rotator cuff tendons. Many non-surgical therapies for shoulder pain exist, including pain medication, physical therapy, and equipment modifications, but these have shown limited efficacy. Persistent shoulder pain can significantly lessen quality of life, and if conservative therapies fail, shoulder surgery is frequently the only option, which comes with its own set of risks and potential setbacks. A team of specialists in regenerative rehabilitation conducted a successful pilot study investigating micro-fragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) injection for rotator cuff disease in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. They demonstrated that MFAT injection has lasting pain-relief effects.

In this single-group pilot study, researchers explored the efficacy of a minimally invasive biological intervention involving an ultrasound-guided injection of MFAT, which harbors a potential source of bioactive and regenerative components for orthopedic conditions and may provide cushioning that can improve function and alleviate pain caused by rotator cuff injuries.

Read more about this study HERE.