Did you know that the shoulder is the body’s most flexible joint? Despite it’s amazing ability to rotate in almost every direction, we rarely appreciate the shoulder’s hard-working, universal role until pain disrupts your normal routine. Fortunately, finding and relieving shoulder pain is often easier that you might think.
Our team always starts with non-surgical options, such as therapy, pain injections and even good old fashion rest (commonly needed in young patients – especially athletes – to mitigate overuse injuries), that reduce inflammation and restore proper muscle support. If we’ve exhausted those options, arthroscopy is an excellent opportunity to achieve a successful outcome.
Arthroscopy is one of the most versatile and unobtrusive ways to identify and treat the source of shoulder pain. What was once a medical treatment reserved for professional athletes, arthroscopy allows doctors to literally look into your joint, and has changed the lives of countless hard working and hard playing people from all walks of life.
Arthroscopy is performed by creating micro-incisions (approximately ¼ inch) that allow a micro camera to effectively and efficiently inspect and diagnose the issue at the very source of the pain. Miniature surgical instruments can typically reach and repair injured tissue.
Due to its intricate approach, arthroscopy also optimizes healing and recovery time. For most patients, treatments are same day, out-patient procedures. Recovery times vary by procedure and by patient, but are typically much faster than open surgery alternatives.
Shoulder pain comes in a variety of forms, but the one that counts is yours. Your health and your time are two of your most valuable resources, and arthroscopy is a tremendously effective option to maximize both. Whether your pain is the result of overuse, trauma, wear-and-tear, or inflammatory diseases, ask your doctor if arthroscopy is a good fit for you. Your specialist should be able to thoroughly describe your treatment options and offer the most effective treatment to help you shoulder the load again.