Shoulder Surgery

Reviving the Beauty of Shoulder Movement

Of all possible shoulder injuries, rotator cuffs claim the highest number of victims. Active people are frequently affected; repetitive motions in swimming, tennis, and weight-lifting all place some strain on the shoulder. But you don’t have to be an athlete to have a shoulder injury. We’ve seen cases where simply hanging the wash on a clothesline or weeding the garden resulted in pain.

Some Common Shoulder Problems:

• Instability, where the shoulder joint is forced out of its normal position. This can make it difficult to raise the arm.
• Impingement is caused by muscles rubbing against the top part of the shoulder blade (the acromion). It tends to occur in sports that require a great deal of overhead arm motion.
• The infamous rotator cuff injury, which involves a group of muscles and tendons supporting the bones of the shoulder joint. This condition is frequently found in professional painters, carpenters, and tennis players– anyone whose work requires them to perform overhead movements. While it’s possible to recover from a rotator cuff injury with exercise and physical therapy, a complete tear of the muscle or tendon may require surgery.

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Some shoulder injuries may be treated with arthroscopy– whereby tiny incisions are made in the tissue, and surgery is performed via those incisions. Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a very common procedure, with approximately 1.4 million patients receiving this treatment each year.

Shoulder Arthroscopy may be recommended for:

• Torn or damaged cartilage or ligaments;
• Shoulder instability;
• Torn or damaged biceps tendon;
• Torn rotator cuff;

• Shoulder impingement;
• Bone spurs;
• Osteoarthritis.
• Inflammation of the lining of the joint;

Reverse Shoulder Replacement

The other alternative, if surgery is required, is called open surgery. In this procedure, the surgeon makes a larger incision which allows him to view the shoulder directly.
Your recovery time will depend on the type of injury and treatment that was performed. Generally patients return to full activity within a few months.
Your rehabilitation will include physical therapy and exercises to strengthen the shoulder.
The first step towards relieving your shoulder problems is to have Dr. Jesse Shaw perform a medical exam and assess your medical history. He will note any swelling, weakness or instability and check your range of motion, among other factors. Dr. Shaw may also order diagnostic imaging tests such as x-rays or MRI.

For general information about hip replacement surgery see the National Institutes of Health (NIH)web site.