Trust the shoulder surgeons at Ohio State
Experiencing persistent shoulder pain or suffering a traumatic shoulder injury, especially if you’re an active adult, can be frustrating and leave you wondering what treatment options may be available.
At The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, our orthopedic and sports medicine shoulder experts have various methods, surgical and nonsurgical, to treat troublesome shoulder symptoms. While there are some shoulder injuries that are severe enough to require immediate surgery, the majority of shoulder injuries can be treated with physical therapy, rest, anti-inflammatory medication or injections. However, when nonsurgical options don’t work as well as we’d like, the conversation might shift to whether shoulder surgery is an option.
Our shoulder surgeons use leading-edge technology and the most advanced techniques to offer a breadth of shoulder surgery treatments not available at most other hospitals. Whether you need a torn labrum or rotator cuff repaired, help with a broken collarbone or a total shoulder replacement, you’ll be in good hands with the shoulder experts at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
When does shoulder pain mean you need surgery?
While most people who have shoulder pain won’t need surgery to get better, there are a few factors that might cause someone to consider shoulder surgery. Those include:
- the cause of the injury – If you experience a traumatic injury to the shoulder, such as a bad fall, a car accident or an awkward pull from a dog leash, it’s more likely that your treatment may involve surgery.
- the treatments you’ve already tried – For someone experiencing tendonitis from overuse or other degenerative conditions, we’ll most likely try physical therapy, rest, steroid injections and other nonoperative methods. If those are no longer effective, surgery might be an option.
- the intensity and frequency of your shoulder pain – When your pain impacts your daily living, making it difficult to accomplish even small tasks, it might be time to talk to your doctor about shoulder surgery.
When does shoulder pain mean you need surgery?
Shoulder pain doesn't typically mean you need surgery, but there are some conditions that could benefit from surgical options, according to Ryan Rauck, MD, an orthopedic surgeon.
Types of shoulder surgery
The shoulder surgeons at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center specialize in performing a wide range of surgical procedures to alleviate your pain and restore lost function. We offer every type of procedure from minimally invasive labral or rotator cuff repairs to complex revision surgeries and infection management – and if you need a shoulder joint replacement, we’re experts at that, too.
The type of surgery you’ll need will be dependent on several factors including the cause of your shoulder symptoms, your medical history and your goals for recovery. You’ll work with your doctor to determine what might be right for you. Some of the most common surgeries we offer include:
- Arthroscopic shoulder surgery – Some shoulder surgeries can be performed using arthroscopy, which means the surgeon will use small incisions in your shoulder called portals. A camera is inserted in one of the portals to allow the surgeon to see in better detail. Other tools necessary for the surgery will be used through these portals.
- Open shoulder surgery – Other shoulder surgeries will require a larger incision into the shoulder, which allows the surgeon more access to successfully perform the surgery.
- Shoulder revision surgery – If you’ve had an unsuccessful shoulder surgery, or have another instance of the same injury, our surgeons are specialists at revision surgery, especially for shoulder instability and dislocation. This is usually a more complex surgery that involves more bone reconstruction, using techniques such as rebuilding your socket with your own bone or bone grafting.
- Rotator cuff surgery – When you tear your rotator cuff, you might need this surgery to repair the damage. This surgery is often done arthroscopically.
- Biceps tenodesis – Both inflammation and irritation of the superior labrum and the biceps tendon can be treated with biceps tenodesis, which involves the cutting of the biceps tendon in the shoulder and reattaching it in a location outside the shoulder.
- Superior capsule reconstruction – For larger or irreparable rotator cuff tears, this procedure involves using tissue from another part of your body to reconnect the torn rotator cuff.
- Surgery for fractures – Surgical treatment of fractures of the shoulder or collarbone is generally completed by placing a strong plate and screws on the bone. Range of motion gradually increases while the structure heals.
- Shoulder replacement (arthroplasty) or a reverse shoulder replacement – During the surgery, we replace parts of the shoulder (ball, socket) with artificial components, typically made of metal or plastic. For a reverse replacement, the prosthetic ball and socket are placed in the reverse position, meaning the implant ball is placed where the natural socket was, and the cupped socket attaches to the stem and the upper arm (humerus).
Pickleball player plans return to sport after receiving high-tech shoulder surgery
Julie Bishop, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive repairs, explains how innovative surgeries can get athletes back to the activities they love.
How long does it take to recover from shoulder surgery?
Everyone’s recovery will look different, especially depending on the type of surgery you have, but generally it can take six to nine months, and sometimes up to a year.
It typically takes 12 weeks for a repair to fully heal, so it’s very important to follow all precautions after surgery as directed. Recovery is all about protecting the part of the shoulder that was repaired while allowing an appropriate amount of time for physical therapy and rehabilitation. Our goal is to get everyone back to 100% following their treatment. To help us accomplish that, here are some guidelines:
- Wear a sling. You’re required to wear your sling at all times (including sleeping) at least until your follow-up appointment. This is necessary to protect your repair.
- Use ice. It’s recommended to ice your shoulder for 20 minutes per hour using an ice pack, CryoCuff or Iceman cooler, or a bag of frozen peas.
- Take pain medications as directed. Even with a nerve block from surgery, it’s recommended you start on pain medications before the block wears off. This will help you stay ahead of the pain as the medication will be in your system when the nerve block wears off.
- Follow dressing and wound care instructions. You may remove the dressing three days postop for an arthroscopic surgery and five days after an open surgery. Apply adhesive bandages over small incisions, and you may tape gauze pads over the larger incisions.
- Wait to get the surgical site wet for at least five days. However, avoid letting the shower hit the surgical site directly and avoid submerging it.
- Sleep in a semi-reclined position. This can help some people sleep better.
- Begin elbow, wrist and hand exercises as soon as possible. A physical therapist will show you how to do these while you’re still in the hospital.
- Attend any follow-up appointments. This will be very important to ensure you heal and recover properly.
- Notify your surgeon of any complications. These include an incision that is warm to the touch or has foul-smelling drainage; nausea or vomiting; severe calf or chest pain; or a fever of 101.4 degrees.
Why choose Ohio State for your shoulder surgery?
Our shoulder experts serve as team physicians for Ohio State athletics as well as professional and Olympic athletes across the nation. Whether you’re an overhead-throwing athlete or not, we make this elite level of care accessible to everyone.
The depth and breadth of the shoulder services we offer is unmatched by most hospitals in central Ohio, so no matter what your shoulder needs are, we’re able to help. We’re also a national leader in shoulder surgery innovation, participating in research about surgical advances across the country and the globe.