A recent presentation at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meeting by Harvard Professor Jon J.P. Warner M.D. concluded that when shoulder surgeons perform a higher volume of shoulder replacement procedures, they have lower complication rates. Shoulder replacement is a technically demanding procedure. To master the procedure surgeons need many years of training. This … Read more
Shoulder replacement is an excellent operation for many people with shoulder arthritis. Our Buffalo, NY based team is actively researching ways to make it better. Last week I was honored to accept the Charles Neer award from the American Shoulder and Elbow Society on behalf of our team at University at Buffalo/ UBMD Orthopedics and … Read more
The other day a patient asked me if he should exercise his shoulder before getting a shoulder replacement. A little background, the patient is about 60 years old and is an avid weight lifter. I was a little confused by the question so I asked him to clarify.
He thought that if he increased his shoulder and chest strength before surgery, this would make it easier for him to recover and for me to do the surgery.
The Tough Cases and Lasting Impacts Unfortunately, he still has limitations: mostly weakness and pain with lifting beyond 10 or 20 lbs. He also has difficulty supporting his weight on the involved arm. These impairments are likely permanent. We have talked about this on multiple occasions. Sadly, I cannot make everyone 100% better. These are … Read more
This is one of the most frequent questions that I get from patients. And it’s not an easy one to answer. Understanding the Complexity Of Shoulder Surgery Recovery New Research Provides Insight Recently a team at The Hospital for Joint Diseases led by one of my shoulder fellowship mentors Dr. Laith Jazrawi produced a study … Read more
It is not always clear whether patients should have hardware removed after healing is complete. However there are a few instances when it is absolutely necessary to take out hardware. Below is a list of a few of those reasons. Three Reasons Hardware May Need to Be Removed 1. Infection Unfortunately sometimes people get infections … Read more
Arthritis in the Ball and Socket Joint Arthritis is actually relatively uncommon in this joint. But when it occurs it tends to show a distinct pattern. The hallmark of arthritis at the ball and socket shoulder joint is joint space narrowing bone spurs at the bottom of the ball portion of the joint. The patient … Read more
Walk through the pros and cons of shoulder replacement surgery with an experienced surgeon.