Shoulder Rotator Cuff Surgery - The Key Benefits

Shoulder rotator cuff injuries occur in most people who lift weights and perform overhead activities. The shoulder joint is attached to the top of the arm bone, the humerus, through the socket found at the top of the shoulder blade. These muscles help support your arms by allowing the arm to rotate freely. When these muscles get injured or overused, the tendons on either side of the shoulder become inflamed, causing pain.

If you have a shoulder rotator cuff in Brisbane performed, the torn tendons attaching the humerus to the bone may need to be replaced. The two tendons that attach the bone to the arm are called the iliotibial band and the supraspinatus. They are responsible for helping you move your arm properly and are very important to your shoulder health. If you have a torn tendon, you will forever have an unstable shoulder because the loss of these muscles will allow the arm to swing uncontrollably, causing constant pain.

With a shoulder rotator cuff surgery performed, your surgeon will cut through the skin and use small incisions to release the torn tendons and ligaments. Once the tissues are removed, he will stitch up your incisions and use special sutures to hold the area together. He will then work on reinstalling the ligaments. During this time, the surgeon will perform physical therapy exercises to strengthen your arm and make your shoulder feel better. You may be given medications to reduce pain as well.

During a shoulder rotator cuff surgery (either minor or major), the surgeon will sometimes need to repair the bone of the arm. This can be done through arthroscopic techniques, where a long thin blade is used to make a small incision inside the arm bone and pull out bone. This technique can be used if you have a small bone spur. A more common repair method is where a piece of the bone is pulled out and replaced inside the bone. This method can be used if there is a large bone spur, as it can actually be pulled out without harming the supporting bone.

After shoulder rotator cuff surgery (either minor or major), you will be given a cast and brace to wear for several weeks. The cast will help prevent any additional damage from occurring to the muscles and tendons while you heal. After two to three months, your cast will be removed and your surgeon will begin working on your shoulder muscle groups to build them back up and shape them. It can take about six months to heal completely from a shoulder surgery, but don't be discouraged if it takes longer than that.

You may experience some mild, annoying pain as your body heals. This is normal after a surgery, and during this time your cast will likely be in place to protect your skin and bones. You may also have to take special anti-inflammatory medication or cortisone to relieve the pain you are feeling.

After shoulder surgery, your surgeon will most likely give you a non-operative procedure to fix the problem. This usually consists of putting in place a removable splint to immobilize the shoulder region. You will also be given pain medication to deal with the pain. Your surgeon may also recommend that you use an NSAID painkiller to control the inflammation. Non-operative treatments should fix any minor partial tears that are not fixed by the original surgery. However, if there are more significant tears, or they are not properly repaired, your surgeon will most likely perform a minor shoulder replacement surgery.

The main benefit of rotator cuff repair versus surgery is that surgery typically fixes the problem before arthritis sets in. Arthritis typically starts as a minor pain that is easily controlled by over-the-counter pain medications. It is only when the pain becomes chronic and severe that arthritis can set in and cause greater damage to the shoulder region. Shoulder rotator cuff repair surgery is more effective for people who experience less severe tears.

Queensland Orthopaedic Clinic is a group of like-minded, sub-specialist trained medical professionals providing personalised patient care.