Shoulder pain is a common condition that can limit your daily activities and cause significant discomfort. Our orthopedic surgeons understand how frustrating it can be to deal with this intrusion on your daily life, and we want to help you better understand its causes and available treatment options.

With the guidance and expertise of the Capital Surgical Associates orthopedic surgeons, you'll have access to the latest information on shoulder pain management. Whether you're dealing with acute or chronic pain, we will provide you with practical tips and advice on how to manage your symptoms and get back to the activities you enjoy.

What Are Common Causes of Shoulder Pain?

Shoulder pain can happen to anyone, despite your age, activity levels, or other factors. The shoulder is the hub of several vital bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments that all work together to give your upper arm mobility. As such an important limb, it’s very common to develop shoulder pain at some point in your life. The following conditions below are the most ordinary sources of discomfort in your shoulder.

Arthritis: Inflammation of one or more joints can cause pain and stiffness in the shoulder.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that helps cushion the joint, can cause pain and swelling in the shoulder.
Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): A condition that causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint, impacting movement and mobility.
Rotator Cuff Tears: A tear in the rotator cuff, the muscles, and tendons attaching the shoulder blade to the upper arm bone, can cause pain and weakness in the shoulder.
Labral Tears: A tear in the labrum, a piece of fibrocartilage that helps keep the shoulder joint stable, can cause pain and instability in the shoulder.
Long Head Biceps Injuries: Injury to the long head of the biceps tendon can cause pain in the shoulder.
Shoulder Instability: A condition in which the shoulder joint is unstable and can easily dislocate.

What Injuries Commonly Cause Shoulder Pain?

Unfortunately, shoulder pain can also be the result of a traumatic experience. Whether from sports, work, or an accident, there is less you can do to avoid these injuries.

Broken or fractured shoulder
Shoulder dislocation
Shoulder separation
Overuse
Rotator cuff tear
Work injuries from falls, repetitive activities, heavy lifting
Sports injuries from throwing, falls, tackles, and more

What Are Red Flags of Shoulder Pain?

There are a few key symptoms that could indicate that you have developed a shoulder condition or suffered an injury. Most importantly, these symptoms are red flags, meaning you should seek the insight of a medical professional like our orthopedic specialists at Capital Surgical Associates. Pay close attention if it’s suspected that you or a loved one has noticed one of the following issues.

Inability to participate in basic daily tasks due to pain and/or weakness
Inability to move the shoulder, either you can only move it a little or not at all
Shoulder dislocation
Visible deformity or bruising around the shoulder
Chronic shoulder pain
Advanced arthritis
Inability to raise the arm or complete loss of range of motion
Progressive weakness in the arm
Not being able to carry things or bear any weight on the affected arm
Shoulder pain accompanied by fever, chills, and swelling
Painful clicking or catching within the shoulder

What Non-Surgical Remedies Can Help Alleviate Shoulder Pain?

Not every shoulder issue requires surgery to be rehabilitated. More often, Dr. Applonie, Dr. Johnson or Dr. Hessing will do what they can to help patients avoid surgery whenever possible. Many of these treatments can easily be completed at home.

Icing the shoulder: Applying ice to the affected area can help reduce pain and inflammation.
Refraining from physical activities that require the use of your shoulder: Resting the shoulder can help reduce pain and promote healing.
Limiting how much weight you put on the injured shoulder: Avoid carrying heavy objects or putting too much pressure on the affected shoulder.
Over-the-counter medications: Ibuprofen and acetaminophen can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
At-home stretches and exercises: Physical therapy exercises can help improve the range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding the shoulder.
Injections: Corticosteroid injections help to reduce pain and inflammation. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections can reduce pain while also stimulating healing
Taping or bracing: Applying tape or a brace to the affected area can help provide support and stability.
Maintaining a good posture: Proper posture can help

What Shoulder Injuries and Conditions Require Orthopedic Surgery?

In some progressing cases, surgery may be necessary to truly alleviate shoulder pain. As orthopedic experts, Dr. Applonie, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Hessing have years of experience to complete the surgeries that are minimally invasive and require very little downtime.

Rotator Cuff Tears: This is a common injury in which one or more of the tendons that attach to the rotator cuff muscles tears, causing pain and limited mobility. Surgery may be necessary if the tear is large or if other treatments have been unsuccessful.
Arthritis: Advanced arthritis can cause severe shoulder pain and limit mobility. Surgery may be recommended if conservative treatments such as physical therapy and pain management have not been successful.
Physical Trauma to Shoulder: A fracture or dislocation of the shoulder can cause significant pain and instability. Surgery will realign the bone or repair any damage.
Torn Labrum: The labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps keep the shoulder joint stable. When torn, this can cause excruciating discomfort and instability, requiring surgery to remediate.
Biceps Tendon Tearing: This type of tear causes serious weakness in the arm, since biceps are a large and essential arm muscle. Surgery is required to reattach the muscles if you expect to have strength return.
Recurrent Dislocations of the Shoulder: Instability and significant pain will persist after repeated shoulder dislocations. To prevent future dislocations, surgery will ultimately be imperative.
Shoulder Impingement that Doesn't Improve with Non-surgical Care: Shoulder impingement happens when shoulder tendons and bones rub against each other, causing pain and limited mobility. Surgery may be necessary if conservative treatments such as physical therapy and pain management have not been successful.
Joint Damage: Severe joint damage can cause significant pain and limit mobility. Surgery may be necessary to replace or repair the damaged joint.
Frozen Shoulder that Doesn't Improve with Non-surgical Care: Surgery may be necessary if conservative treatments such as physical therapy and pain management have not been successful.

What Surgical Procedures Can Fix Shoulder Pain?

When surgery is required to alleviate shoulder distress, your Capital Surgical physicians can achieve success through one of the following operations:

Rotator Cuff Surgery: This procedure is used to repair a torn rotator cuff and restore strength and stability to the shoulder joint.
Labral Repair: This operation restores the tissue on the rim of the shoulder socket, and therefore the stability of the joint.
Bicep Tendonesis: When a biceps tendon or superior labrum complex is torn, which often occurs for athletes, it can be carefully reattached to reduce pain and restore arm strength.
Shoulder Decompression: The aim of arthroscopic procedure is to un-pinch the rotator cuff muscles from the shoulder, relieving pressure from related tendons and bones in cases of shoulder impingement.
Total Shoulder Replacement: In cases where an arthritic shoulder joint is irreparable, the joint can be replaced by a prosthetic one through this procedure.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement: Similar to a total shoulder replacement, this procedure is a specialized procedure for arthritic shoulders with rotator cuff tears. It involves replacing the damaged joint with a prosthetic joint that reverses the ball and socket relationship of the shoulder joint to reduce pain, regain motion and improve strength of the shoulder
Shoulder Fracture Surgery: When the shoulder does not need a replacement but a recoverable fracture occurs, pieces of the fractured bone can be put back together via plates and screws.

How To Recover From Shoulder Surgery

Recovering from shoulder surgery can take several weeks or even months. Here are some common tips and restrictions given to patients during recovery:

Follow all post-op instructions from your surgeon, including taking any prescribed medications, attending physical therapy appointments, and wearing a sling or brace as directed.
Allow appropriate time for tendon, bone, or muscle healing, which can be 6-8 weeks.

recovery from shoulder pain surgery in boise

Anticipate participating in physical therapy and home exercises as an important part of your recovery. With your particular goals and needs in mind, a physical therapist will create a personalized exercise plan tailored to your unique situation. The intention of said exercises is to regain previous shoulder strength and mobility. Additional benefits include a reduction in pain and swelling, improvements to the joint’s range of motion, and most importantly, preventing future injuries.

Following post-operation instructions from your doctor, including rest, medication, and physical therapy, is paramount to ensuring the shortest and most successful recovery. Your own recovery time depends on the surgery performed and the severity of the injury, but it can vary from within a few weeks to several months. Your doctor may recommend additional measures like anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, and ice or heat therapy to both ease and speed up the recovery process.

Orthopedic Specialists at Capital Surgical Associates

Boise, Idaho

Our orthopedic specialists, Dr. Hessing, Dr. Applonie, and Dr. Johnson, are here to help if you are in pain from an injury or dealing with a chronic condition.

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT