What Is Bursitis?

Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of the bursae. The bursae are small sacs that contain fluid. They are located between bones and soft tissues. Their purpose is to cushion joints, and as a result, reduce friction. 

Inflammation of the bursae can cause pain and discomfort when performing everyday activities.

What Is Pitcher’s Elbow?

This condition causes pain along the inside of the elbow and is caused by repeated throwing motions that are common in sports. It most frequently occurs in baseball; however, it can be the result of any sport that involves repeated throwing. 

Ice, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs can help treat pitcher’s elbow. However, in extreme cases, it may require surgery. 

What Is Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow?

The medical term for these is lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow). These are overuse injuries that damage the muscles and tendons in the forearm. The resulting tenderness around the elbow can cause discomfort and pain.

Because of the complexity of the shoulder and elbow, any fracture can be devastating. It’s important to seek immediate medical care from one of our experienced specialists. 

What Is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome?

Your ulnar nerve is a major nerve in your arm, and when it is compressed—commonly around the elbow—it can cause pain, tingling and numbness in the hand. Typically, it can be managed nonsurgically, although surgery may be warranted in more severe cases. 

What Is Frozen Shoulder?

This condition (also referred to as adhesive capsulitis) causes stiffness and pain, making the shoulder difficult to move. Typically, frozen shoulder gets better with physical therapy, but it can often take up to three years for a complete recovery.

What Is Shoulder Impingement?

When the shoulder muscles rub against the top of the shoulder blade excessively, the result is often shoulder impingement. This condition causes inflammation, and if not treated in a timely manner, it can lead to a more serious condition. 

Impingement generally occurs as the result of any activity that requires excessive arm motion overhead. 

What Is Shoulder Instability?

This occurs when a shoulder joint moves out of its normal position. The resulting shoulder instability can cause a dislocation. Symptoms include pain when raising the arm and the feeling that the shoulder will slip out of place. 

What Are Rotator Cuff Injuries?

Some of the most common conditions we treat deal with the rotator cuff. A problem with this part of your shoulder can cause weakness to the extent that it may be difficult to even get dressed.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that is responsible for keeping your shoulder in its socket.  When it is torn, the muscles no longer attach to your upper arm bone (humerus). A torn rotator cuff can be caused by:

• Repetitive stress or repetitive motion injuries (typically from sports like baseball or tennis)
• Poor blood supply
• An overgrowth of bone (called bone spurs)

We utilize the latest minimally invasive, state-of-the-art techniques to treat all types of rotator cuff injuries. Symptoms include:

• Pain when shoulder is at rest
• Nighttime pain
• Weakness when lifting your arm
• Crackling sensations when moving your shoulder
• Pain when lifting or lowering your arm

If you’re experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, then you should schedule an appointment with us to ensure timely treatment tailored to fit your needs. 

The shoulder joint can be torn from either repetitive motion or injuries such as:

• A severe blow to the shoulder
• A sudden overhead reach
• Falling on an outstretched arm

These injuries are often seen in athletes or weightlifters.

We can typically treat this condition using minimally invasive techniques utilizing tiny cameras that enable us to actually see inside the joint in order to correct the problem. 

What Are Brachia Plexus Injuries?

The brachial plexus is a series of intertwined nerves that run from the neck to the upper chest to the armpit. These nerves are typically damaged when the arm is pulled or stretched forcefully. If the injury is mild, no treatment may be necessary. However, if it is more serious, surgery may be needed. 

Like your hip, the shoulder is a “ball and socket” joint. A shoulder dislocation occurs when your upper arm bone—called the humerus—is partially or completely out of its socket.  Symptoms include pain, numbness, weakness and bruising.

If you have a dislocated shoulder, you should NOT try to “pop it back in” yourself.  Medical attention from our leading experts is necessary in order to make a complete recovery. 

TOTAL SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

A total shoulder replacement replaces the worn or damaged parts of the joint by fixing an artificial surface to all parts that contact each other as the shoulder moves and lifts the arm. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, consisting of the humeral head (the “ball”), the glenoid fossa (the “socket”) and the shoulder capsule, or tissue, that surrounds the joint.

A shoulder replacement removes the damaged parts of the shoulder, replacing them with artificial components. The implants, which are made of a combination of metal and plastic, come in a variety of sizes and are fitted to the bone to provide an artificial surface that causes no pain when the shoulder is used. These parts may be fixed to the bone with or without cement.

PARTIAL SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

Depending on the condition of your shoulder, only the ball may need to be replaced. This procedure is called a hemiarthroplasty, or partial replacement. This option is used when arthritis or a fracture only involves this part of the joint and the socket is normal.

REVERSE TOTAL SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

This procedure is primarily used for people who have had a previous shoulder replacement that failed or who have a completely torn rotator cuff with severe arm weakness in addition to arthritis. The rotator cuff is made of four small muscles that keep the shoulder blade and upper arm aligned so that larger muscles like the deltoid can lift the arm.

In this procedure, the socket and the metal ball are switched. That means a metal ball is attached to the shoulder blade socket and a plastic socket is attached to the upper arm bone. This allows you to lift your arm following surgery without the rotator cuff.