There are so many types of shoulder injuries that orthopaedic surgeons deal with on a daily basis. There are some things that patients can do at home for treatment and then there are surgeries and minimally invasive procedures that are recommended to live a pain-free life.

We only tend to notice the amount of work that our shoulders do when there is an injury or pain. The limited mobility that comes with a shoulder injury can be frustrating and you will find it difficult to carry out daily tasks as you were used to doing. When you have an injury, you can discuss with the Melbourne shoulder surgeon about the available avenues of treatment to see which would suit you best. One of the common procedures that orthopaedic surgeons carry out is shoulder fracture repair. Most of the time, this will not need surgery and the surgeons will simply position the broken bones in such a way that they can heal naturally over a period of time. But there are instances where surgery will be needed to position them properly. They will consider the severity of the break to see whether surgery is required or whether it can be done arthroscopically. The latter is a surgical technique where a long flexible tube attached to a camera can see inside the joint and give a better understanding of the condition to the surgeon.

The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and muscles. These attach the humerus to the shoulder socket. Due to overuse or injuries, the rotator cuff can tear. It might not be fully attached to the head of the humerus and this will require repair. Open repair is done when the rotator cuff tear is complex but when it comes to mini-open repair, the surgeon may use open surgery or arthroscopy. Arthroscopy will give a better view of the tear. To ensure the success of shoulder surgery, you need to select an orthopaedic surgeon who has a lot of technical skills and experience. Look for a surgeon who has performed the procedure that you are required to undergo many times so that they are aware of its complications and how to respond to them.

In serious conditions, a total shoulder replacement surgery will be required. Here, the entire shoulder joint is replaced by a prosthesis. The parts that are replaced are the socket and the ball. This is usually done when the patient has bone on bone arthritis but still has the rotator cuff tendons intact. This can be done with open surgery or arthroscopy. In this procedure, a shoulder replacement device will mimic the anatomy of the human shoulder. There is a plastic cup that is attached to the shoulder socket and there is a metal ball attached to the humerus. But in a reverse total shoulder replacement, the reverse attachment is carried out. The socket will have a metal ball and the upper end of the humerus will have a plastic cup. This is done on patients who suffer from shoulder arthritis or serious rotator cuff tears.