Shoulder injuries are extremely common amongst high school and college athletes, especially those who play tennis, baseball, volleyball, and other such sports. The overuse of shoulder joints can lead to dislocation, labral tears, rotator cuff tendinitis, and other conditions that severely limit your range of motion. If you are suffering from a rotator cuff tear in The Woodlands, or any other number of shoulder injuries, our orthopedic physicians can help. They diagnose the root cause of your shoulder injuries and curate personalized treatment plans consisting of non-surgical care, orthobiologics, and, as a last resort, shoulder surgeries.
Non-Surgical Treatments
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
RICE should always be the first non-invasive solution to shoulder pain because it can adequately address most forms of minor pains. This non-invasive solution includes the following components.
- Rest: Avoid activities and sports that trigger shoulder pain.
- Ice: Apply ice packs on the shoulders for up to 30 minutes every few hours.
- Compression: Wrap a compression bandage on the shoulder to reduce swelling.
- Elevation: Keep your shoulders elevated to facilitate blood circulation and healing.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Our orthopedic specialists provide non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, to reduce joint inflammation caused by injuries or arthritis. You may also receive corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation.
Physical Therapy/ Exercises
Our physicians recommend personalized exercises to restore joint mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. Physical exercise also strengthens the surrounding muscles to support joint stability. However, your physical therapy plan must be designed according to your unique condition.
Orthobiologics (PRP & Stem Cell)
Orthobiologics is an area of regenerative medicine that involves harvesting certain components from your body and re-injecting them into the injured joints and tissues. This innovative solution essentially catalyzes your body’s natural healing capabilities. The following are the two most common forms of orthobiologics:
- PRP Therapy: The doctor spins a small sample of your blood in a centrifuge to isolate the platelet-rich plasmas, the parts of your blood with a high concentration of growth factors. When injected into the injured shoulder joints, growth factors encourage natural tissue regeneration and joint healing.
- Stem Cell Therapy: The doctor draws stem cells from a small sample of your bone marrow, which is usually taken from the pelvis region. Stem cells contain regenerative properties that are necessary for bone growth and regeneration. When injected into the injured or damaged shoulder joints, they can facilitate natural healing.
Surgical Treatments
Shoulder Arthroscopy
Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive technique of performing shoulder surgery. The surgeon makes two to three extremely small incisions on the skin’s surface to access the injured shoulder joints. One of the incisions serves as an entry point for a camera that projects visuals of the shoulder joint on a monitor, allowing the surgeon to make the necessary adjustments without creating a large incision. The results are safer, with a lower risk of complications.
Open Surgery Techniques
Thanks to advanced technologies, most cases of shoulder injuries can be treated using the arthroscopic procedure. However, some shoulder injuries still necessitate open surgeries via large incisions. The surgeon makes a large incision at the site of injury to access the damaged shoulder joints and tissues. Depending on the condition, they may remove large bone spurs, repair the shoulder joint, or even replace the joint with artificial implants.
Shoulder Dislocation
If you’re suffering from a shoulder dislocation, you may need an arthroscopic procedure to tighten the torn/ stretched tendons and ligaments. The surgeon may also repair the torn labrum, i.e., the cartilages surrounding the shoulder socket.
Rotator Cuff Repair
If you’re suffering from a rotator cuff tear in The Woodlands, you may need a rotator cuff repair. Rotator cuff injuries occur when there’s a tear in the tissues connecting the muscle to the tendons around the shoulder joints. A rotator cuff repair usually consists of reattaching the tendon to the upper arm bone and possibly stitching the tendon to its original position.
AC Joint Repair
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the acromion and clavicle bones, and it might be injured because of sudden falls or trauma. If you’re suffering from severe AC joint injuries, the surgeon may use screws, sutures, plates, and pins to stabilize the dislocated joints.
Collarbone Fractures
Shoulder surgery might be necessary if you have severe collarbone fractures, i.e., if the broken ends of your clavicle bones have shifted away. The surgeon may reposition the bone fragments into optimal alignment and hold them together using metallic tools, such as plates and screws.
Slap Tear
Slap tear is the kind of injury where the labrum cartilage surrounding the shoulder socket is torn because of falls, accidents, or shoulder dislocation. The surgeon may repair or reattach the labrum using sutures, but the specific techniques will depend on your unique condition.
Schedule an Appointment
Movement Orthopaedic Institute is the premier provider of sports medicine and orthopedic surgery in the Houston area. Our orthopedic specialists carefully diagnose and treat any number of shoulder injuries including but not limited to dislocation, labral tears, and rotator cuff tears in The Woodlands. They locate the root cause of your shoulder injuries using X-rays, MRI scans, ultrasound scans, and CT scans, following which they curate a personalized treatment plan. We treat most conditions using non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques and only resort to arthroscopic surgery if other solutions fail. Please schedule an appointment to explore your shoulder pain treatment options in Houston.
