Annual Strength & Structure Section
This procedure can restore quality of life for patients suffering from shoulder pain.
Understanding Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, where the upper arm bone fits into the socket of the shoulder. When this joint becomes damaged, it can cause pain, stiffness, inflammation, and loss of mobility that can interfere with even simple daily activities and negatively impact quality of life. Conditions that damage the shoulder joint include injuries and arthritis – most commonly osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint condition that worsens over time.
When nonsurgical treatments no longer provide adequate relief for shoulder pain, surgical options may be recommended. Designed to reduce pain and restore joint function, total shoulder replacement, or arthroplasty, is a safe and effective procedure and one of the most common joint replacement surgeries performed in the U.S.
How It Works
First, anesthesia will be administered to the patient. The surgeon will then make an incision in the shoulder and remove the damaged bone and cartilage from the shoulder joint, replacing it with an implant made of metal and plastic. After realigning the arm and shoulder with the new, artificial joint, they will then close the incision, and surgery is complete. This procedure typically takes one to two hours. Recovery from total shoulder replacement takes several months, during which patients will receive physical therapy to help regain range of motion and strengthen the shoulder muscles.
Benefits and Outlook
Total shoulder replacement offers a long-lasting solution to shoulder pain. After recovery, patients can return to daily activities and enjoy significantly reduced discomfort and stiffness, improved shoulder movement and strength, and a better quality of life.
An Expert Weighs In
Meet the Author
Rachel Studebaker, BA, English, Summa Cum Laude
Rachel Studebaker is a graduate of Lee University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in advertising with the distinction of summa cum laude and served as editor-in-chief of the university’s biannual magazine, The Vindagua. After graduation, Rachel joined CMC Media & Marketing Group as an editor. Today, she serves as managing editor and is responsible for leading the editorial team in the development and completion of content for 17 publications involving health & wellness, business, sports, and lifestyle published in print and online for HealthScope® and CityScope® magazines as well as Choose Chattanooga® and Choose Huntsville™ – premier publications serving Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia, and North Alabama. In addition to writing, editing, and coordinating copy, Rachel oversees networking and reputation management for the company’s publications. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, attending concerts, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her husband.
