I had been dealing with shoulder pain for years before finally seeing Dr. Ticker. It got to the point where I couldn’t even throw with my right hand anymore and had to switch to my left during my kids’ softball and flag football practices. I was always hesitant about rotator cuff surgery—I had heard so many stories that things would never feel the same afterward. But the pain eventually became unbearable, and I decided to move forward. From the beginning, Dr. Ticker put those concerns to rest. He was confident he could fix the issue—and he was absolutely right. Before surgery, I worked with Nicole, my physical therapist, who focused on strengthening my shoulder and preparing me for what was ahead. She explained how important that pre-surgery work would be for recovery, and she couldn’t have been more correct. After surgery, Nicole guided me every step of the way. She is knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly encouraging. Her support made a huge difference in my recovery process. Today, I am pain-free and back to throwing with my right arm at my kids’ practices—something I honestly wasn’t sure would ever happen again. I’m incredibly grateful to both Dr. Ticker and Nicole for getting me back to where I wanted to be. Also… shout out to the office staff at the Melville PT office! Always friendly and helpful!