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Of musculoskeletal injuries, rotator cuff injuries are one of the most frequent. A rotator cuff injury is quite painful and can cause shoulder weakness; however, it does not cause swelling. Interestingly, patients often do not have symptoms. Most of the time; however, the patient will experience pain and weakness during activities involving the arms. Raising the arm above shoulder level can prove particularly painful. On the bright side, there are quite a few ways to treat rotator cuff injuries. Your age and the type of injury you have will help determine which option will work best for you.

There are two categories of rotator cuff injury. One is rotator cuff tendonitis. The other is rotator cuff tear. Be aware that there are several other conditions that could be the cause of shoulder pain. The only way to get an accurate diagnosis of rotator cuff injury is to see a doctor. He or she will first look at the symptoms and perform a basic physical examination. After this, the physician may use a local anesthetic that will be injected into the injured shoulder. This will help determine whether the injury is a muscle tear or tendonitis. If the injury seems to be a rotator cuff tear, the doctor may order some imaging tests. These will help confirm that the injury is a tear and isolate the location of the injury.

Rotator cuff tendonitis is more common than rotator cuff tear, but the treatment is similar for both. Rest, ice, compression and elevation, also known as RICE therapy, is prescribed for both conditions. Your doctor may also tell you to take an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen. You may also be referred to a physical therapist who will help you to understand how to modify your activities to avoid pain and may also give you instructions on exercises to help strengthen your shoulder. If these measures dont help, your doctor may give you a shot of a steroid/anesthetic mix. This injection will be made directly into the joint to help address your pain.

About half the patients using this kind of non-surgical treatment experience an increase in ROM (range of motion) and a decrease of pain within 2 or 3 months. This kind of treatment has several advantages. First of all, non-invasive treatment avoids surgical risks such as infection, anesthesia complications, and permanent stiffness. Second, there is no recovery time involved. Of course, there is also a downside in that this route could lead to an increase in the size of the tear. Additionally, the patients activity level may be decreased during the healing period. And, there is the risk that a non-invasive method may simply not work. If this is the case, and the non-invasive option fails, then surgery may be the alternative. The doctor may also decide that surgery is the better option if he or she feels that the injury is severe enough to merit it as the first option.

Click here for more on rotator cuff tears .

When rotator cuff injury is treated with surgery, there are generally three options.

The first way is open repair surgery. When open repair surgery is chosen, the surgeon will make a full incision into the shoulder. This large incision has the potential of leaving a large scar; however, this method allows the surgeon to have a great deal of freedom of movement.

Another method that utilizes both an incision and arthroscopy is called mini-open repair surgery. This is an outpatient procedure in which the surgeon makes a smaller incision and uses an arthroscope to see the interior of the shoulder structure. This procedure leaves a much smaller scar.

All-arthroscopic surgery is the least invasive surgery. It is an outpatient procedure that leaves a very small scar.

The doctor will determine which procedure will work best based on the specific injury.

Happily, rotator cuff surgery is a highly successful surgical procedure. Eighty to ninety-five percent of patients who have this type of surgery report successful results, improved range-of-motion and a significant decrease in pain in six months or less.

There are a number of things that will influence the outcome of your rotator cuff surgery. Foremost is the expertise of your surgeon. Aside from this, the type of injury you have experienced, the quality of the injured tissue, your age, and how well you follow your doctors orders will influence how well you recover.

Some patients experience complications from surgery; however, these are rare. One to two percent may experience nerve injury. Approximately one percent may contract infection. Less than one percent may have detachment of the deltoid muscle. Less than one percent may experience stiffness. Tendon re-tear is experienced by approximately six percent of patients.

The bones of joints are held together by ligaments. You will find the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) at the center of your knee. Its purpose is to keep your shin bone from shifting forward on your thigh bone.

If you tear your ACL, your knee may give out while you are engaged in physical activity. If you dont have this treated, your knee may give out time and again. This can cause early arthritis as well as damage to the cartilage.

Fortunately, damaged ligaments can be replaced. ACL reconstructive surgery replaces your old anterior cruciate ligament with a new one. This new ligament could come from you (autograft) or from a cadaver (allograft).

An autograft is usually taken from the hamstring or the patellar tendon (front of the knee) of the patient.

Both types of grafts are good. There are different pluses and minuses to each. Be sure to discuss these with your doctor.

Click here for more on treating ACL tears .

Your surgeon will probably use arthroscopy to perform your ACL reconstruction. This type of surgery is usually done using general anesthesia.

Arthroscopy allows your surgeon to see the interior of your knee via a tiny camera inserted through a poke-hole. This allows your surgeon to see, not only the torn ACL , but also any other problems you may be having with your knee. These problems can be addressed during your ACL reconstruction.

In addition to the poke-hole made to insert the camera, you will have a few other incisions. If you are using an autograft, there will be one larger incision made to access the tissue. A few smaller incisions will be made around your knee to access the damaged ligament and replace it with new ligament. Bone tunnels will be created to place the new ligament perfectly, and it will then be fastened in place with screws or other appropriate fasteners.

When your surgery is done and your incisions have been closed, your knee will be bandaged, and you will be given time to recover from your anesthesia. At this time, you may be able to see the video of your surgery and confer with your surgeon on his or her findings and any concerns or questions you may have in mind.

Dr. Edelson is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine. His clinic, Sports Medicine Oregon, focuses on athletes of all ages. Click here to learn more about Dr. Edelson, Portland SLAP Tear Repairs and Portland Shoulder Injuries.

One of the most frequent musculoskeletal injuries is the rotator cuff injury. Sometimes this type of injury is not associated with symptoms, but usually it is quite painful. A rotator cuff tear or rotator cuff tendonitis can cause you to experience pain and weakness in the shoulder when using your arms. It can be especially painful to lift the arm higher than shoulder level. Luckily, there are a number of ways to treat rotator cuff injuries – both surgical and non-surgical. The type of injury you have, your condition, and your age will be determining factors in deciding which type of treatment is right in your situation.

There are two categories of rotator cuff injury. One is rotator cuff tendonitis. The other is rotator cuff tear. Be aware that there are several other conditions that could be the cause of shoulder pain. The only way to get an accurate diagnosis of rotator cuff injury is to see a doctor. He or she will first look at the symptoms and perform a basic physical examination. After this, the physician may use a local anesthetic that will be injected into the injured shoulder. This will help determine whether the injury is a muscle tear or tendonitis. If the injury seems to be a rotator cuff tear, the doctor may order some imaging tests. These will help confirm that the injury is a tear and isolate the location of the injury.

Rotator cuff tendonitis is more common than rotator cuff tear, but the treatment is similar for both. Rest, ice, compression and elevation, also known as RICE therapy, is prescribed for both conditions. Your doctor may also tell you to take an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen. You may also be referred to a physical therapist who will help you to understand how to modify your activities to avoid pain and may also give you instructions on exercises to help strengthen your shoulder. If these measures dont help, your doctor may give you a shot of a steroid/anesthetic mix. This injection will be made directly into the joint to help address your pain.

About half the patients using this kind of non-surgical treatment experience an increase in ROM (range of motion) and a decrease of pain within 2 or 3 months. This kind of treatment has several advantages. First of all, non-invasive treatment avoids surgical risks such as infection, anesthesia complications, and permanent stiffness. Second, there is no recovery time involved. Of course, there is also a downside in that this route could lead to an increase in the size of the tear. Additionally, the patients activity level may be decreased during the healing period. And, there is the risk that a non-invasive method may simply not work. If this is the case, and the non-invasive option fails, then surgery may be the alternative. The doctor may also decide that surgery is the better option if he or she feels that the injury is severe enough to merit it as the first option.

Click here for more on rotator cuff injuries.

Rotator cuff injuries can be treated surgically in three ways:

1. Open repair surgery: With this option, the surgeon makes a full incision into the shoulder. This method gives the surgeon a great deal of freedom of movement; however, it is the largest incision option of the three available methods.

The second method is mini-open repair surgery. While this method is similar to open repair surgery, it differs somewhat in that it utilizes arthroscopy. The use of arthroscopy allows the surgeon to make a smaller incision, leaving a smaller scar. This method is an outpatient procedure.

The third method is known as all arthroscopic surgery. This is the simplest option in that it is an outpatient procedure, and it also leaves the smallest scar.

The doctor will determine which procedure will work best based on the specific injury.

Happily, rotator cuff surgery is a highly successful surgical procedure. Eighty to ninety-five percent of patients who have this type of surgery report successful results, improved range-of-motion and a significant decrease in pain in six months or less.

The success of your recovery is dependent on a number of factors. Among them are, your surgeons level of expertise, your fitness level, the severity of your injury, and your compliance with your doctors instructions.

Some patients experience complications from surgery; however, these are rare. One to two percent may experience nerve injury. Approximately one percent may contract infection. Less than one percent may have detachment of the deltoid muscle. Less than one percent may experience stiffness. Tendon re-tear is experienced by approximately six percent of patients.

Dr. Edelson is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine. His clinic, Sports Medicine Oregon, focuses on athletes of all ages. Click here to learn more about Dr. Edelson, Portland ACL Surgery and Portland Athletic Injuries.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is located around your knee. It prevents the shin bone from moving forward over the thigh bone. If it tears, it can be instantly painful and can lead to structural damage.

A torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) can cause your knee to collapse during strenuous activity. Not only is this immediately dangerous, it can lead to repeated collapse, causing cartilage damage and arthritis.

ACL Reconstruction can resolve these problems. With this surgery, your damaged ligament can be replaced with new ligament. This ligament may come from a deceased donor (allograft) or from you (autograft).

An autograft is usually taken from the hamstring or the patellar tendon (front of the knee) of the patient.

Both of these kinds of grafts have a good success rate, and there are things to recommend each. Discuss the pros and cons with your surgeon to make the best choice for you.

Click here for more on ACL tear surgery.

Arthroscopy is the procedure that is usually used for ACL reconstruction. Although this type of surgery can be done using a variety of types of anesthesia, you will probably receive general anesthesia. This will let you sleep through the whole thing.

Arthroscopy is conducted with the assistance of a small camera inserted into a joint. Your surgeon will make a small incision called a poke-hole to insert the camera. Then the surgeon can get a clear view of the inside of your knee on a video monitor. This will allow your surgeon to check the condition of all of the structures of the knee. If your surgeon discovers damage in addition to your ACL tear, he or she will go ahead and fix the problem.

In addition to the poke-hole made to insert the camera, you will have a few other incisions. If you are using an autograft, there will be one larger incision made to access the tissue. A few smaller incisions will be made around your knee to access the damaged ligament and replace it with new ligament. Bone tunnels will be created to place the new ligament perfectly, and it will then be fastened in place with screws or other appropriate fasteners.

Once the surgery is complete, your incisions will be cared for and your knee will be dressed. You will wake up from the anesthesia, and watch a movie of your knee surgery with your surgeon. At this time, your surgeon can share the findings with you, and you can ask any questions you may have.

When you tear the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee, your doctor will probably recommend ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) Reconstruction surgery. When this is the case, it is important that you understand that the tissue to be used in your surgery can come from a variety of sources.

Autograft is the term used to describe a graft that is taken from your body. An autograft is usually taken from part of the tendon that is located on the front of your knee. This is called the patellar tendon. Another place an autograft may be taken is the hamstring.

Allograft is another type of graft. This tissue is harvested from a cadaver.

There are good and bad points about each choice. Your surgeon will talk with you about the options and help you decide which would work best in your situation.

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) Reconstruction surgery is normally performed with the use of an arthroscope. To perform knee arthroscopy, your surgeon will create a small poke-hole in your knee and insert a tiny camera. This camera is connected to a video monitor and allows your surgeon to see the inside of your knee.

While your surgeon is looking, he or she will check for damage to other tissues. If the cartilage or ligament in your knee has been otherwise damaged, that problem will also be attended to during your procedure.

Several types of anesthesia are used for arthroscopic knee surgery, but you will probably receive general anesthetic. This will allow you to sleep during the surgery. While you are sleeping, your surgeon will replace your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).

Click here for more on ACL Reconstruction .

Your surgeon will also make a few other small incisions around the knee. These will allow the surgeon to place your new ligament properly. Your damaged ligament will be taken out with a shaver or some other instrument. The exception to this is that, if you will be using an autograft, a larger incision will be needed to remove the tissue that is to be used for grafting.

Your new ligament will be put into place using bone tunnels which will allow the surgeon to place the new ligament in exactly the same location as the old ligament. Once in place, the ligament will be secured with screws or some other type of fastener to prevent it from moving. When your surgery is done, your incisions will be closed, and your knee will be bandaged.

With arthroscopy, your surgeon can film your entire surgery. Then the two of you can watch the procedure on a video monitor, and your surgeon can share information gathered and answer any questions you may have.

To be considered for ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction, some symptoms you might be experiencing include, knees that give way, weakness and instability in the knees, and knee pain. If your ADL (activities of daily living) are affected and/or you are not able to participate in sports as you wish, these are further reasons to consider ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction.

Complications are rare with this type of surgery; however, they do exist. Some things to keep in mind are the possibility of: Failure to heal, failure to relieve symptoms, stiffness and pain in the knees, continued weakness in the knees, infection at the site of the surgery, nerve damage, and bleeding.