Shoulder
Dislocated Shoulder: When Does It Need Surgery?
Key Takeaways Surgery is usually considered when a shoulder keeps dislocating, when scans show bone loss, or when a first dislocation carries a high risk of returning. Many first-time dislocations, particularly in older or lower-demand people, settle with a sling and guided rehabilitation instead of an operation. Younger people and those in contact sport face…
See MoreOsteopenia Caught Early: Your 10-Year Plan to Avoid a First Fracture
Key Takeaways Osteopenia describes a bone density score between -1.0 and -2.5, sitting between normal bone and osteoporosis, and it marks a higher chance of fracture without being a disease. Around half of all fractures in people over 50 happen in this range, so the years straight after a first low reading are when your…
See MoreRotator Cuff Surgery Recovery: What the Timeline Really Looks Like
Key Takeaways Most people need 4 to 12 months for a full recovery after rotator cuff surgery, and the weeks spent in a sling are only the first stage of that. Recovery moves through four phases: protecting the repair, restoring movement, rebuilding strength, then returning to full activity. Desk work often resumes within a few…
See MoreFrozen Shoulder vs Rotator Cuff Tear: The Difference That Matters
Key Takeaways Frozen shoulder is a tightening of the joint capsule, while a rotator cuff tear is damage to the tendons that lift and steady the arm. The clearest home clue is assisted movement, since a helper can raise your arm with a cuff tear but not when the capsule is frozen. Frozen shoulder is…
See MoreWhy Does My Shoulder Hurt? Common Causes by Age and Activity
Key Takeaways Shoulder pain is common, and why your shoulder hurts often shifts with age, from injury and instability when young to cuff wear, frozen shoulder and osteoarthritis from the 40s on. How you load the shoulder matters too, with overhead sport, desk posture, heavy lifting and falls each producing their own pattern of pain.…
See MoreShoulder Replacement Surgery: Signs, Types and How Reverse Works
Key Takeaways Surgery is usually considered when pain and lost function persist despite non-surgical care, not because a scan shows arthritis. Night pain, trouble dressing or reaching, and fading relief from physiotherapy or injections are worth raising with a doctor. Reverse designs swap the ball and socket so the deltoid can lift the arm when…
See MoreThe Latarjet Procedure for Shoulder Instability: Recovery, Risks and Success Rates
Key Takeaways The Latarjet procedure treats recurrent anterior shoulder instability by transferring a small piece of bone and tendon to rebuild a stable socket, and it is often chosen after bone loss or a keyhole repair that has not held. Recovery is staged over roughly four to six months, moving from sling protection to range…
See MoreRotator Cuff Tears: Will It Heal on Its Own, or Do You Need Surgery?
Key Takeaways A torn rotator cuff tendon does not usually knit back onto the bone by itself, yet pain and function can still improve a great deal without an operation. Many tears respond well to physiotherapy, activity changes and pain management, particularly smaller or wear-related ones. Rotator cuff surgery is more often considered for larger,…
See MoreGot shoulder pain going overhead? Watch this.
Part 1 of a series of video blogs on managing and preventing shoulder impingement. The focus is on understanding the basic structures involved and how to target some of the less commonly addressed tissues that can impact on the mechanics of the glenohumeral joint and contribute to shoulder impingement.
See MoreGetting it overhead with a twist
Our shoulders get an absolute beating over our lifetime, in fact studies have found that 28% of people under the age of 60 with asymptomatic shoulders (without pain) had evidence of rotator cuff damage and 54% for those over 60years (1), and these are the lucky ones…without pain. I think most people have an appreciation for the functional…
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