Shoulder Care and Orthopedic Shoulder Specialists

The shoulder is the only part of the human body that allows full 360° motion. This extreme mobility requires a complex system of bones, cartilage, muscles, and tendons that seamlessly work together. Similar to machines, the more moving parts there are, the easier it is for something to go wrong. While athletes rely on their shoulders extensively, individuals with semi-active hobbies such as cooking or gardening also depend on healthy shoulders and shoulder joints. Since the upper arm is an essential part of everyday life no matter what activities you perform, without healthy shoulders, completing simple tasks can be a struggle.

Common Shoulder Conditions

• Labral Tear is a small tear or fray in the labrum, or the cartilage that helps keep the shoulder in place, that typically comes with aging or due to injury/stress to your shoulder.
• Arthritis in the shoulder is caused by the deterioration of the cartilage within the shoulder resulting in joint pain, stiffness, and swelling.
• Dislocated Shoulder occurs when the upper end of the arm bone pops out of the shoulder joint.
• Separated Shoulder, or acromioclavicular joint injury, occurs when the outer end of the collarbone separates from the end of the shoulder blade because of torn ligaments. This injury most often occurs from a blow to the shoulder or a fall on the shoulder.
• Shoulder Fractures can be displaced, but are most commonly non-displaced, meaning the bone fragments remain near their correct anatomic position.
  • Clavicle Fractures are a common type of shoulder fracture in which there is a break in the collarbone commonly occurring as a result of a fall onto the shoulder.
  • Humerus Fractures is a common type of shoulder fracture in which there is a break in the humerus and is determined based on where along the humerus the fracture takes place.
  • Scapula Fractures are very rare but primarily due to the joint’s mobility and the thick layers of muscles surrounding the bone.
• Frozen Shoulder, or Adhesive Capsulitis, is a condition in which the tissues around the shoulder joint stiffen, scar tissue forms, and shoulder movements become difficult and painful. This can occur when you stop using the joint normally because of pain of a chronic health condition.

Common Shoulder Treatments Available

• Total Shoulder Replacement takes place when there is damage to the surfaces of both the “ball and socket” of the shoulder and resurfaced with metal and plastic implants.
• Rotator Cuff Injury is when there is a partial or full tear in the rotator cuff, a group of tendons necessary to keep the shoulder joint stabilized and allowing you to raise and rotate your arms.
• Rotator Cuff Surgeries:
  • Debridement is the clearing of damaged tissue from the shoulder joint.
  • Subacromial Decompression involves shaving bone or removing spurs underneath the tip of the shoulder blade to create more room in the space between the end of the shoulder blade and the upper arm bone.
  • Rotator Cuff Repair occurs when the tendon is torn and requires it to be sewn together and reattached to the top of the upper arm bone.

Find a Shoulder Specialist Near Me

The experts at Beacon Orthopaedics are not jack-of-all trade doctors. They each received additional training in a specific area of expertise. For example, some focused on hand and wrist surgery, while others specialized in hip and knee replacements. This ensures that the physician treating your case does hundreds of similar cases each year, rather than a handful of everything. The orthopaedic surgeons may recommend orthobiologics, physical therapy, arthroscopic surgery, partial joint replacement, or a total joint replacement surgery.

Patients benefit from our physician’s deep knowledge of treatment options to relieve joint pain, ranging from conservative, non-surgical options all the way to joint replacement. It is our goal to help each patient recognize their treatment options and to provide a high level of comfort in deciding which treatment option to pursue.

Ideally, you should see an orthopedist as soon as you suspect you have a shoulder injury; however, once your shoulder pain begins to affect your everyday life, it is imperative that you see a physician. Although the short list of information above may help you gain insight into any shoulder problems you may have, this is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, appointments can be made online or by phone call and every effort will be made to schedule the patient as soon as possible.

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