Shoulder/Rotator Cuff
Rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons that connect your arm bone to the shoulder blade. This connective tissue also serves to hold the arm bone firmly into the shoulder socket. Dr. Shaia specializes in a number of conservative as well as surgical treatments for shoulder injuries in Richmond, Glen Allen, and Henrico, VA.
Like many musculoskeletal injuries, shoulder conditions can come about as a result of athletic activity, strenuous manual labor, or simply a progressive deterioration over time. It is important to learn proper form when doing shoulder intensive activities. Motions where the arm goes above your head are generally prone to shoulder overexertion. Examples of these activities include throwing a baseball, serving a tennis ball, lifting boxes up onto shelves, shoulder press exercises, and bench press weight training exercises.
Symptoms
Feeling like your shoulder can easily fall out of the socket and an inability to raise the arm out to the side or to the front without considerable pain are both symptoms of rotator cuff injury. Pain often stems from the upper shoulder area and shoots down the arm toward the elbow. Lastly, difficulty sleeping at night due to pain when lying on your side is evidence of shoulder injury.
What to Expect
Shoulder and rotator cuff surgery is an outpatient procedure allowing you to return home the same day as surgery. Dr. Shaia uses arthroscopic tools and small incisions to repair torn tendon and connect it back to the bone.
Recovery Time
You must immobilize the shoulder for 4 – 6 weeks after surgery in order to allow the tendon to heal back to the bone. If the tendon is not torn but just inflamed, the period of immobilization is just a couple of days. Full recovery usually requires about 4 to 5 months for tendon tears and 3 months for inflamed tendons. Physical therapy is usually required after surgery.
Detailed post-operative instructions can be seen on our patient education page.
Don’t hesitate to call Dr. Shaia with any shoulder related injuries or undiagnosed symptoms. We proudly serve Glen Allen, Henrico, and Richmond, VA with top level medical care.