Stiff shoulders often occur as a result of trauma, prior surgery, overuse and rotator cuff tears. Unbelievably, stiff shoulders most often occur without any reason (idiopathic), but certain individuals are at higher risk such as patients with diabetes and thyroid disease. These ailments are usually treated without surgery but there are subsets of patients that continue to hurt and remain impaired. In instances that shoulder surgery is indicated, Silver State Orthopedics can offer dramatic improvement in the patient’s quality of life.
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery allows the doctor to look in the shoulder with a video camera and use cutting tools to free the shoulder of any remaining stiffness. Patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery tend to be some of the most satisfied in our orthopedic practice.
The rotator cuff is four tendons that power the shoulder and stabilize the joint. All of us rely on our rotator cuff to put our hand in a position of usefulness. The rotator cuff can be torn from overuse, trauma, and subtle stiffness. Patients who have rotator cuff tears that fail to improve with non-operative measures are good candidates for surgery. Recent innovations in shoulder arthroscopy allow surgeons to repair the rotator cuff through small incisions with the aid of a video camera. Small implants with attached suture are buried in the shoulder to allow for repair.
The shoulder joint, unlike other joints in our body, predominantly relies on ligaments and muscles to remain in place. This allows us to position our hand without restriction. If the ligaments or muscles are torn, it can lead to an unstable shoulder or one that shifts out of place. Pain, disability, and arthritis often ensue. Cutting-edge surgery has been developed in the last two decades to treat unstable shoulder joints. Silver State Orthopedics has stayed on the forefront of this know-how and takes a special interest in helping patients with this problem.