The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in your shoulder that helps you lift and rotate your arm. It's crucial for many everyday activities, from reaching for something on a high shelf to playing sports. Unfortunately, rotator cuff injuries are common, especially among athletes and older adults. According to the Cleveland Clinic, over 2 million Americans experience a problem with their rotator cuff each year. There are many myths surrounding these injuries, which can make recovery [Read More]
Shoulder Injuries
When to See a Shoulder Doctor for Pain
The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile joints in the body. It allows us to raise our arms, reach overhead, and perform many daily activities. However, this mobility also makes the shoulder joint susceptible to injury and pain. If you are experiencing pain, you may be wondering if you need to see a shoulder doctor. Here's when you should: 1. When The Pain Is Severe And Persistent Joint pain is pretty common, especially among older adults, because the body’s joints experience [Read More]
Activities to Avoid During Your Shoulder Impingement Treatment
Shoulder impingement syndrome is when the shoulder blade has been rubbing against the tendons of the rotator cuff, causing pain and inflammation. So if you are undergoing treatment for this condition, there are certain movements and habits you should try to avoid doing. Otherwise, you could unknowingly make your shoulder impingement worse. Let’s talk about some of the normal, everyday movements and activities you should avoid during your shoulder impingement treatment, and where you can go [Read More]
How Your Orthopedic Surgeon Identifies the Source of Shoulder Pain and How to Treat it
Shoulder pain can be dull or sharp, throbbing or stabbing, and intermittent or constant. It can have several possible causes. It could be a problem with your tendons, bones, bursae, rotator cuff, or joint that make it difficult to raise your arm and prevent you from sleeping soundly. The shoulder has a wide range of motion and is used in almost all activities, which makes it susceptible to injury. A primary care doctor can treat shoulder pain, but for an in-depth examination of your shoulder, [Read More]
Recovery From A Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder impingement is characterized by rotator cuff tendons being pinched and causing irritation to the bursa, producing symptoms such as pain, tenderness, and weakness. Shoulder impingement can also cause inflammation and swelling, which increases pressure on the bursa and tendons. One way to check if you have a shoulder impingement is to assess if it hurts to raise your affected arm. Baseball, tennis, and swimming are common causes of shoulder impingement. Repetitive motions involved in [Read More]
Treatments for a Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons why adult patients see their doctors. Your shoulder consists of muscles, tendons, and bones that allow smooth movement and a wide range of motion, but this complex intersection of tissues can develop an impingement – causing inflammation and pain. There are several types of shoulder impingement, including rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder bursitis. It’s usually the rotator cuff that’s causing shoulder pain, swelling, limited movement, and [Read More]
Shoulder Arthroscopic Repairs
The shoulder is a very complex joint and is constantly in use during our lives, so it has the potential for many things to go wrong. When something does go wrong, it can lead to a need for shoulder surgery. In addition to shoulder arthroplasty (shoulder replacement surgery), there is shoulder arthroscopy (shoulder repair surgery) – which is used to make minor repairs to the shoulder, usually to alleviate pain or to regain proper rotation. Shoulder arthroscopy may be recommended in order to [Read More]
Preparing for Your Rotator Cuff Repair
That snapping sensation or “crackling” sound that occurs in your shoulder when taking in an extra game of tennis or swimming a hard set of laps. That limited motion and numbness when you spend the weekend painting your house or chopping wood, followed by the inability to raise your arm much higher than waist level. If any of this sounds familiar, chances are you have injured your rotator cuff – that group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint, thereby allowing you to move [Read More]