Rotator Cuff Surgery

If you’ve injured your shoulder and need rotator cuff surgery, visit the orthopedic experts at Metro Orthopedics & Sports Therapy (M.O.S.T) in Potomac, Maryland. They offer cutting-edge rotator cuff surgery options, such as arthroscopy, to deliver optimal results and quicker recovery. Don’t let a shoulder injury keep you from your favorite activities and sports. Get effective treatment today: Call or book an appointment using the online scheduling tool. “M.O.S.T” serves the communities of Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Olney, Washington DC, Chevy Chase, Frederick, Poolesville, McLean, VA, Dulles, VA, and Fairfax, VA.

Rotator Cuff Surgery Q & A

The rotator cuff is the name of the four muscles that meet as tendons in your shoulder and hold your arm in place in your ball-and-socket shoulder joint.

Between the rotator cuff and the bone of your shoulder above it, there’s a lubricating sac called a bursa, which allows smooth, gliding motion. The rotator cuff provides stability and allows the large range of motion of the shoulder joint.

The physicians at Metro Orthopedics & Sports Therapy suggest rotator cuff surgery when you have an injury that doesn’t respond to less invasive treatment methods, and you still experience pain. Some of the signs that surgery is necessary includes:

Pain and mobility limitations that last for more than six months
A tear of three centimeters or more in the tendon
Weakness and loss of functionality in the shoulder
Recent, acute traumatic injury

Typically, pain, weakness, and limited range of motion in your shoulder are symptoms that indicate a rotator cuff injury. Additionally, among all other injuries, a rotator cuff tear is the one that that most commonly leads to surgery.

Rotator cuff tears often develop over time following repetitive use of the shoulder. You may also experience an acute shoulder injury that damages your rotator cuff.

There are various surgical options for rotator cuff injury repair, such as open surgery, minimally-invasive arthroscopic repair, and mini-open repair. The doctors at Metro Orthopedics & Sports Therapy use less-invasive surgical options whenever possible.

During the surgery, your surgeon uses state-of-the-art surgical instruments to remove bone spurs and other loose pieces of tissue. They repair the tear in your tendon or muscle and sometimes include a graft to help the tissue grow and reintegrate.

Regenerative medicine treatments like PRP injections might also be used to support healing in your shoulder.

Your surgeon provides customized advice on what you need to do to take care of yourself after surgery. For example, you’ll likely have to wear a stabilizing or immobilizing sling to keep your shoulder still while you recover.

If necessary, your surgeon provides a prescription to reduce your pain following surgery or suggests a combination of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and local anesthetics to manage your post-surgical discomfort.

Physical therapy helps you rebuild strength and flexibility in your shoulder, which helps restore your full range of motion. Physical therapy often begins soon after your surgery to limit any atrophy or loss of strength.

If you have questions or concerns about rotator cuff injuries or surgeries, call or schedule a consultation online today.