Shoulder Health & Preventing the Need for Total Shoulder Replacement in Philadelphia
Much like the hip, the shoulder is a ball and socket joint. In the case of the shoulder, the “socket” is the area of the scapula (shoulder blade) that holds the head of the humerus arms bone (which is the ball, in this case). Just above the large, ball in socket shoulder joint, there is also a acromioclavicular joint.
The four muscles that are essential in the movement of the shoulder are together called the rotator cuff. There are also other ligaments that assist in keeping the shoulder joint in place. The “O-ring” stretches around the socket to provide further stability and strength to the joint. These muscles help keep the shoulder in tact as it withstands a lifetime of movement, stress and impact. However, injuries and other degenerative issues do occur in this joint and sometimes, total shoulder replacement in Philadelphia is required to remedy the issue.
Here are a few of the most common shoulder problems:
- Arthritis of the shoulder joint
- Fractures of the shoulder and clavicle
- Tearing of the rotator cuff
- Dislocation (coming out of the socket) of the shoulder
Shoulders are important to the everyday activities of the average person’s life. Think about your day so far. When you woke up, did you reach for your alarm clock? As you prepared to start the day, did you stretch your arms up and back to brush your hair? Shoulders sustain significant wear and tear over the course of a person’s lifetime - even without all the added stress of sports that require excessive shoulder use. Consider baseball/softball, lacrosse, hockey or basketball players. They are at even higher risk for dealing with a potential health issues in their shoulders as they spend years repeating the same motions and subjecting their shoulders to the high stress physical environment of competitive sports.
Keeping Shoulders Healthy
Regardless of whether or not you are a competitive athlete, keeping your shoulders healthy is essential to your ability to live an active, productive life. Take precautions now to ensure that you maintain proper shoulder strength and health for years to come. When injury is sustained, tendons tear, arthritis sets in or fractures occur, patients should seek out qualified shoulder specialists to diagnose the issue and recommend the right treatment plan.
While conservative, non operative treatments are obviously always preferred, there are cases when total shoulder replacement surgery in Philadelphia is simply the best option. The goal of the surgery, of course, is to ease pain and restore movement. Below you’ll find some preventative approaches to shoulder care that can help you build strength and stability and avoid the need to have surgery.
Preventative Care for Shoulders
- If you find that your shoulders are particularly tight or have been subjected to overuse, apply heat to the joints prior to work or exercise to assist/relax shoulder muscles
- Memorize a shoulder warm up and complete this series of exercises each morning and also prior to any specifically demanding physical activity (motions should include shoulder blade rolls, controlled swinging of the arms across the body, large circular motions in front of the body, pendulum stretching)
- Stretching with elastic exercise bands to improve strength
The Benefit of Total Shoulder Replacement in Philadelphia
If you are struggling with shoulder pain, the best thing to do (outside of the above mentioned stretches and exercises) is to call an orthopedic specialist, set up an appointment, explain your case and your pain, and allow them to recommend a best course of action. If that solution is total shoulder replacement in Philadelphia, the good news is that Rothman Orthopaedic Institute has multiple locations throughout the region. This means you can be seen by top physicians right here in your local area!
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