Shoulder pain is a debilitating condition causing countless hours of lost productivity and a reduced quality of life. Understanding the anatomy of the shoulder, as well as causes of shoulder pain, can help patients better understand musculoskeletal conditions that are best threated by an orthopaedic doctor.
Three different bones compose the shoulder: the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collarbone). With tendons and muscles attaching it to the joint, the head of the humerus fits into a rounded socket in the scapula. These surrounding muscles and tendons comprise the rotator cuff, which is the part of the shoulder that helps with circular motion of the arm.
The most common causes of shoulder pain include:
Shoulder pain is often caused by a traumatic or repetitive sports injury; however, patients can experience soreness after doing other activities such as heavy lifting, painting, and activities that require lifting the arms.
The most common shoulder pain symptoms include:
Shoulder problems typically involve the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the joint, as opposed to the bones. Athletes are very vulnerable to these shoulder injuries, due to repetitive and intensive motion, such as throwing a baseball or lifting weights.
The rotator cuff is composed of four muscles and tendons that attach to the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff also helps the shoulder with its circular motion. Damage to the rotator cuff is one of the most common shoulder injuries – particularly for athletes playing baseball or tennis. This injury causes pain, sensitivity, and a limited range of motion, as well as an inability to comfortably lift the arm.
The labrum is a piece of cartilage that forms a cup at the end of the humerus to make movement smoother. This thick cartilaginous tissue is commonly injured by trauma to the shoulder, such as falling forward off of a bicycle. While labral tears usually result of overuse in sports, this injury also commonly occurs with aging. If torn, patients usually experience an aching sensation and pain.
Shoulder dislocation is a common sports injury occurring when the top of the arm bone disconnects from, or loses contact with, the socket of the scapula. This injury usually occurs when the patient experiences a fall or a sports-related injury. The usual symptoms are shoulder pain and limited range of motion. Oftentimes the patient may experience the arm held at the side, slightly away from the body.
Depending on the patient’s unique case of shoulder injury, symptoms associated with any of the conditions mentioned above can be treated in a number of ways. For instance, activity modification combined with rest and physical therapy can often solve the problem. In other cases, medications can help reduce the inflammation and pain.
Surgical options for shoulder pain treatment include shoulder arthroscopic surgery , a procedure in which the orthopaedic surgeon inserts a camera through a small incision to view the inside of the shoulder joint. If the shoulder can be repaired, the surgeon will insert small instruments to remove scar tissue, or to repair the torn muscles and tendons.
Dr. Haar specializes in sports medicine treatment, and is skilled in treatment of the debilitating effects of musculoskeletal shoulder pain. Dr. Haar is considered an arthroscopic specialist by his peers in the New York region, and provides world-class, minimally invasive care. Find out more about Dr. Haar’s Upper East Side New York office to schedule an appointment for a consultation.
Connect with a native New Jersey, Arthroscopic Surgery Specialist, with over 25 years of experience for your orthopedic related complications, and get a treatment tailored to your activity demands. A notable shoulder surgeon in New York City, Dr. Robert Haar has a high success rate in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). Which means you can now get your shoulder related injuries corrected with smaller incisions, less trauma, less scarring and faster recoveries. With insurance or without insurance, every patient of Dr. Haar is treated with due regard and integrity.
A shoulder surgeon in New York treats shoulder injuries and conditions related to muscles, ligaments, bones, tendons, cartilage and joints. When home remedies, medications and physical therapy fails to relieve shoulder pain or disability, you should immediately consult a shoulder doctor in NYC.
Some of the most common shoulder conditions treated by surgery are:
A thorough medical history is the most important document required during your first orthopedic evaluation with a shoulder surgeon in New York. It helps the shoulder specialist understand your overall health condition and possible causes for shoulder pain. It will also aid your shoulder doctor determine the level of pain interfering with your day-to-day activities.
Other than that, a physical examination, an x-ray of the problem area and some additional test could be recommended by the shoulder surgeon.
After shoulder surgery your doctor may suggest you wear a sling to protect your shoulder during the healing process. In the course of immobilization, the shoulder muscles may become weak and structures around the shoulder may get stiff.
To return to your daily activities without any further pain, physical therapy is vital. Physical therapy(PT) during the healing process ensures healthy and safe recovery. However, the duration of the physical therapy depends on the shoulder condition you are suffering from. While rotator cuff repair may require physical therapy for four to six weeks, repair of your torn labrum may require PT for a shorter period of time. On the other hand, SubAcromial Decompression may not require PT intervention at all, but you can still use the therapy for strength regain.
Shoulder problems that fail to respond to conserbative therapies require to be treated by shoulder surgery. A shoulder surgeon in New York would either recommend minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures or traditional open surgeries depending on the risks and complications, scope of recovery and the depth of the problem.
Some of the most common surgeries performed by a shoulder surgeon in New York are:
