Restore Strength and Find Relief with Advanced Shoulder Replacement

Our shoulders have the greatest range of motion of any joint in our body, allowing us to perform diverse actions like dressing ourselves, catching a ball, or reaching into a cupboard. Shoulder injuries can be painful and frustrating, and are especially hard for those who are accustomed to an active lifestyle. Dr. David Rudman is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, and he has helped many patients recover from serious shoulder injuries and conditions. For complex or very complicated cases, replacement of the joint itself may be the best solution. Dr. Rudman offers total shoulder replacement surgery at his Bergen County, New Jersey practice. To learn more about whether a shoulder replacement is right for you, schedule a consultation at our practice today.

The Shoulder Replacement Procedure

Roughly 53,000 American undergo shoulder joint replacement surgery each year. The procedure may be recommended to treat conditions ranging from severe fractures to different forms of arthritis. A total shoulder replacement involves removing the entire ball (the head of the humerus, or upper arm bone) and socket (glenoid cavity) of the shoulder joint. Biocompatible materials are used to completely replace the joint, often with a high molecular polyethylene socket and a chrome alloy ball.

Patients typically remain at the hospital for monitoring and pain management for one to three days following surgery. During healing, the arm must be kept in a special sling for up to six weeks. Physical therapy usually begins the very next day following surgery, and is focused upon increasing your range of motion and building strength. Usually, patients can resume normal function within three months. However, some patients may take up to six months to return to normal function. 

Reverse Shoulder Replacement

A reverse shoulder replacement may be recommended for patients with no rotator cuff (the group of muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, keeping it intact), a badly damaged rotator cuff, or patients who have undergone shoulder replacement that has failed in the past. In this type of shoulder replacement, the positions of the ball and socket are switched - a metal ball is screwed into the shoulder socket and a plastic cup-like component is affixed to the end of the humerus, serving as the new socket.

After surgery, other muscles, most often the deltoids, perform the functions usually performed by the rotator cuff. Reverse shoulder replacement patients often require fewer physical therapy visits, and can remove the sling in roughly four weeks to resume using the repaired shoulder. Rehabilitation can include a prescribed at-home exercise routine.

Contact Us Today

Dr. Rudman is fully qualified to perform even the most advanced surgical orthopaedic procedures, including complex and challenging shoulder replacement cases. Dr. Rudman has earned a reputation as a leader in sports medicine, and routinely treats ACL injuries, torn rotator cuffs, stress fractures, and other musculoskeletal injuries in children, teens, and adults. Trust your treatment to the surgeon other leading surgeons trust. To learn more about how our services can help you achieve comfort and restored function, contact us today.