New Advances In Arthroscopy Help To Provide More Effective Treatments!
If you’ve recently experienced an injury to the joint that helps you move your shoulder, more commonly known as the rotator cuff, you’ve certainly gone through a great deal of pain, and more than likely, your mobility and movement has been severely limited. And while it may seem contrary, we do have some good news for you! Recent advances in arthroscopic surgery for rotator cuff injuries have made this form of surgical orthopedic treatment a more viable solution.
But first, what is arthroscopy? Arthroscopy is quite simply a conjunction of two words, arthro – meaning anything joint-related, and scopy – meaning to view, and in this case with a tiny camera. Essentially, arthroscopy allows orthopedics to insert a small camera through a tiny incision near a patient’s rotator cuff to help provide a more detailed diagnostic view of your damaged joint. And it can also be used for surgical purposes too!
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Rotator cuff injuries are often associated with a number of painful symptoms, including pain felt when raising or lowering your arm, pain with any associated pressure, pain during sleep, and weakness or stiffness in and around the injured shoulder and joint. In addition, some patients even describe rotator cuff injuries as a dull, but deep ache felt somewhere in the shoulder. These types of injuries can even make it difficult to comb your hair, brush your teeth, or reach behind your back. It can also be accompanied by arm weakness.
In today’s day and age, rotator cuff injuries are quite common, especially for athletes. Sports injuries always seem to be the culprit for a damaged rotator cuff, which means that a trained orthopedic sports practitioner should be able to provide the right type of treatment and symptom relief to ensure that the injury heals quickly and effectively.
When Should I Consult An Orthopedic?
If your rotator cuff injury is causing you any stress, pain, or discomfort whatsoever, it is always a good idea to contact your local orthopedic doctor for a diagnostic test. Most likely, they’ll perform an arthroscopy test to assess the damage, and will then recommend a treatment protocol, whether that be surgical, clinical, or physical – in terms of a physical rehabilitation regimen.
The most important thing to remember here is that rotator cuff injuries are highly treatable because they’re so common! In addition, without undergoing some form of treatment, you could subject yourself to the permanent loss of motion or chronic weakness in the injured shoulder. The key with these types of injuries is to treat them right away and ensure that you work on mobility right from the get-go, otherwise your joint could become frozen in place, tight, and extremely stiff.
Orthopedic Associates
Here at Orthopedic Associates in Denver, Colorado, let our team of orthopedic surgeons and practitioners assess your recent rotator cuff injury. We’ll work with you to determine the best course of action and will ensure that you regain mobility and strength in your shoulder as soon as we possibly can!
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