There's a lot riding on your shoulders.

Rotator cuff injuries may be caused by tendinitis, tendinosis, bursitis or a rotator cuff tear. Once our specialists diagnose your specific rotator cuff condition, we’ll aim to ease your pain and restore your strength and range of motion through nonsurgical treatments that may include:

• Avoiding activities that cause your pain
• Over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medications
• Applying ice to the painful area nightly
• Steroid injections
• Physical therapy, including stretching and exercises designed to restore strength and range of motion in your arm and shoulder

If these treatments do not relieve your pain, surgery may be needed. Our surgeons offer minimally invasive surgical techniques that use smaller incisions and sophisticated instruments to repair your injury with a faster, less painful recovery than traditional surgery. They also specialize in innovative procedures including arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Learn more about it here. Recovery from arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery generally involves protecting your arm in a sling for about a month, followed by about five months of physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion. Your surgeon will discuss the specific program designed for you prior to your procedure.

Treatment for shoulder arthritis depends on whether you suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the severity of your disease. Individualized treatment plans are designed to ease your pain and improve your ability to use your arms. Nonsurgical options may include:

• Resting your arm and avoiding activities that cause your pain
• Over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medications
• Applying heat or ice to your shoulder
• Steroid injections
• Physical therapy, including exercises designed to restore strength and range of motion in your arm and shoulder

If these treatments do not relieve your pain, you may require surgery. Our surgeons are experienced in the most advanced and innovative surgical procedures for shoulder arthritis treatment.

A shoulder dislocation occurs when the top of the upper arm bone moves out of the shoulder joint socket and is usually caused by falls, car accidents or strong contact during sports. Those with a dislocated shoulder may experience swelling, numbness, weakness, bruising, pain, instability and even muscle spasms.

To treat a dislocated shoulder, a physician uses a process called closed reduction that places the upper arm back into the socket. Pain relief is almost immediate. After treatment, physicians typically recommend that the shoulder be immobilized in a sling or other device for a few weeks. For patients with recurrent dislocations, surgery is often recommended to help keep the shoulder in place.

Fractures (broken bones) that affect the shoulder typically involve the clavicle (collar bone), proximal humerus (upper arm bone), or scapula (shoulder blade). Clavicle and proximal humerus fractures are often caused by falls, collisions, or motor vehicle accidents. The scapula is not as easily fractured because of the protection provided by the chest and surrounding muscles. Scapula fractures are usually caused by more severe traumas and chest injuries.

Shoulder fracture symptoms include pain, swelling and bruising of the shoulder area, inability to move the shoulder without pain, a bump or disfigurement at the site of the fracture, and a snapping or cracking sensation when moving the shoulder.

Most shoulder fractures can be treated by setting the joint into place and using a sling or strap to immobilize it. After a period of healing, rehabilitation exercises can help patients build strength and regain range of motion. In more severe cases, in which fracture fragments have been displaced from their normal position, surgery may be necessary to realign the shoulder.

 

Shoulder instability develops when your muscles and ligaments are not strong enough to hold your shoulder bones securely in the socket. This can lead to multiple painful shoulder dislocations or prevent you from using the shoulder or lifting your arm.

Most cases of shoulder instability respond well to conservative treatment involving intensive rehabilitation exercises and physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that help hold the shoulder in place. Additionally, our specialists also recommend taking nonprescription pain and anti-inflammatory medication and avoiding activities that have previously resulted in shoulder dislocations.

In cases where nonsurgical methods are unsuccessful, our surgeons offer the most advanced surgical techniques to help regain shoulder function, including:

• Arthroscopic Bankart repair
• Open Bankart repair
• Coracoid transfer for shoulder instability

Shoulder separation often is confused with shoulder dislocation, but the two are very different injuries. Shoulder separation occurs when the connection between the shoulder blade and collarbone is disrupted. Typically, this injury occurs after a fall onto the shoulder, which is common in sports.

Treatment depends upon the severity of the injury. Physicians categorize shoulder separation into six levels. Depending upon the severity level of your shoulder separation, treatment can range from rest, ice and a sling to our most advanced surgical procedures.

Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule of connective tissue that surrounds the shoulder thickens and contracts, leading to stiffness and pain from restricted movement.

The condition generally affects adults ages 40 to 60 and can be caused by diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s, or cardiac disease. It can also result from immobilizing the shoulder too long after an injury, which is why a vital part of any shoulder recovery is physical therapy.

Physicians typically treat this condition with anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy, which is successful in 90 percent of cases.

For those who don't experience relief after physical therapy, surgical procedures are available to help to regain motion