Shoulder Care at Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic

If you’re having shoulder problems, our team of certified experts will help you return to a pain-free life.

The board certified physicians at Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic know that shoulder pain can impact your life. Our experienced specialists use the most advanced methods to diagnose and treat a wide range of shoulder conditions. We’ll help you get back to the activities you enjoy.

Shoulder Conditions We Treat

Many different activities can cause shoulder pain, including repeatedly moving your shoulder, straining it, or playing sports. Sometimes problems of the spine and neck can also cause shoulder pain.

At Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic, we treat many conditions that cause shoulder pain, including:

  • Frozen shoulder (stiffness and pain in the shoulder)
  • Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • Rotator cuff tear (tear in the muscles and ligaments that surround the shoulder joint)
  • Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) or bursitis (inflammation of fluid- filled sacks near the joints)
  • Shoulder instability or dislocation
  • Labrum (tissue that holds the ball joint) injury or tear
  • Acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) separation
  • Injuries caused by using your shoulder too much

Diagnosing Shoulder Pain

Your shoulder is a complicated joint, made up of bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. If you’re having shoulder pain, our shoulder experts will give you a thorough examination to find out the cause.

Your doctor may ask you questions about:

  • When and where your shoulder pain is happening
  • Your medical history and any injuries you’ve had
  • Your lifestyle (like what sports you play or what you do for work)

Your doctor may also order diagnostic imaging tests to create a picture of your shoulder. These may include:

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • X-Ray
  • Ultrasound

Anatomy of the Shoulder

The shoulder is a complex structure made of three separate joints. They work together to give the shoulder a tremendous range of motion. Let's take a closer look at the main parts of the shoulder's anatomy.

Treatment for Shoulder Pain

Once doctors find out the cause of your shoulder problem, the shoulder experts at Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic will help you develop a treatment plan. Depending on the cause of your shoulder pain, your treatment could include nonsurgical care, surgery, or a shoulder replacement.

Non-Surgical Care

If you need a nonsurgical treatment for your shoulder pain, you may receive:

  • Physical therapy to increase shoulder strength and mobility
  • Occupational therapy exercises to help you get back to your daily activities
  • Injections or medications to reduce pain and swelling

Surgical Care

If your shoulder condition is serious or if nonsurgical treatments don’t help, shoulder surgery may be the best option. Rutland Regional’s experienced shoulder surgeons have credentials from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and are skilled at the most up-to-date surgical techniques.

Types of shoulder surgeries we offer include:

  • Rotator cuff repair, to repair the tear in your rotator cuff with stiches
  • Bone spur removal, to smooth out bone spurs to prevent tissue damage
  • Shoulder instability repair, to repair torn or stretched ligaments so they can hold your shoulder in place
  • Labral repair, to remove or repair the damaged tissue rim around your shoulder socket
  • Loose body (damaged tissue removal, to remove fragments of damaged cartilage or bone in the shoulder joint

Your shoulder surgeon will use a minimally invasive technique called arthroscopic surgery. During arthroscopic surgery, your surgeon will insert a tiny camera on a thin tube into a small incision in your shoulder. This camera will send a video of the surgery to a television screen that will help your surgeon guide the instruments.

Shoulder Replacement Surgery

If your shoulder has serious damage, your doctor may recommend shoulder replacement surgery. There are two types of shoulder replacement surgeries:

  • Partial shoulder replacement, which only replaces the ball of your shoulder joint
  • Full shoulder replacement, which replaces the whole shoulder joint

During the shoulder replacement procedure, your surgeon may cap the ends of your upper arm bone and shoulder bone with plastic, or use cement to hold the pieces in place. Your surgeon may adjust the ligaments around your new shoulder joint to help you move more easily.

Contact Vermont Orthopaedic Clinic

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 800.625.2937.

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