The shoulder is classified as a ball
and socket joint. It is the most mobile joint in your body, and
it is made up of the humerus, which articulates with the glenoid
of the scapula. Shoulder stability relies mainly on soft tissue
restraints, which consist of the rotator cuff, the glenoid labrum,
and the capsule. The rotator cuff is a sleeve of four muscles which
contribute to shoulder strength and stability. The labrum is a rim
of cartilage that helps to stabilize the joint and is frequently
injured in shoulder dislocations. The capsule is an envelope filled
with fluid that assists in joint stability as well. Finally, there
are bursa which surround the shoulder joint and these fluid filled
sacs cushion the tendons from the bone. The bursa are a very common
source of shoulder pain.
Much more information is available at
www.AustinShoulder.com
COMMON SHOULDER PROBLEMS
Shoulder
Impingement is caused by inflammation of the rotator cuff and
bursa. Pain occurs when raising the patient's arm above his/her
head. This frequently can be a precursor to a rotator
cuff tear.
Recurrent Shoulder
Dislocation frequently is caused by a tear in the labrum or
excess laxity in the joint's capsule.
Painful Instability occurs when a shoulder is forced beyond the
joint's normal range of motion causing the ball to move abnormally
in the socket.
Shoulder
Arthritis may be caused by long-term wear and tear, infections,
injuries or a variety of other diseases. It is characterized by
roughened joint surfaces with worn cartilage. Fragmentation of bone
and cartilage is also known as loose bodies.
COMMON SHOULDER SURGERIES
Arthroscopy: allows the surgeon to look inside the
shoulder joint using small incisions and identify the problems.
The surgeon may often be able to correct the problem using this
procedure by removing loose unwanted tissue from the joint, with
fewer disturbances to the joint. Recovery time is usually short.
Bankart procedure: an operation that tightens ligaments
and repairs torn capsular detachments, restoring shoulder stability.
It is often performed for athletes involved in throwing sports who
suffer from recurrent dislocations and subluxations. It allows the
patient to return to contact sports such as baseball, football,
wrestling, and ice hockey because the muscles and tendons are returned
to their anatomic locations.
Rotator cuff repair: a procedure that is performed
to repair the tear, therefore, relieving the patient's pain and
improving function of muscles and tendons that move the joint. The
surgery is commonly performed on older patients who complain of
pain and weakness in the deltoid region that occurs with normal
daily activities as well as work and sport. The surgery can frequently
be done with an arthroscope through minimal incisions.
Prosthetic shoulder replacement: a procedure involving
replacement of the head of the humerus or "ball" (hemiarthroplasty)
or in some cases the resurfacing of the "socket" or glenoid
as well (total shoulder replacement). This surgery is
sometimes performed for patients with arthritis in the shoulder
joint because it provides pain relief, which is the major indication
for the procedure. Improvement of function may result but is less
predictable.
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