Shoulder Replacement Surgery
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Shoulder replacement surgery can give you back your life. With a new shoulder, you can throw a ball, pick up a child, or do yoga again. You won't miss the painful, sleepless nights and the constant ache of a damaged, diseased joint. You'll feel restored.
But an operation on your body does mean risks and recovery time. You want a hospital with high-quality services and a surgeon you can trust.
Shoulder Replacement at UVA Health
At UVA Health, you'll get care from a team that:
- Performs a high number of shoulder replacements every year
- Treats elite athletes and college sports teams
- Includes nurses and therapists who specialize in orthopedics
We also streamline the process to make the experience easier. You can often have a same-day procedure - no overnight stay. And we'll assign a special joint care coordinator to:
- Help you navigate the system
- Answer questions
- Understand your recovery instructions
Expert Shoulder Replacement Surgeons
Our shoulder surgeons have extensive experience and training. Their fellowship training means they spent an entire year focused on shoulder replacements. Not every shoulder surgeon can claim that depth of education.
Shoulder Replacement & Recovery
If your shoulder pain interferes with your daily life, it’s time to get care. Learn about causes and treatment options.
Dr. Brian Werner: Total shoulder replacement is kind of the end of the game for the shoulder. So a shoulder that's gone on and gotten bone on bone arthritis typically is why we do a shoulder replacement. Dr. Stephen Brockmeier: The most common reasons I see patients to consider shoulder replacement surgery, the single most common is osteoarthritis of the joint, which is a wear and tear process leading to eventual cartilage breakdown. Dr. Brian Werner: The symptoms of shoulder arthritis are similar to other symptoms that patients will present with in their shoulders with other injuries, but they're increasing pain in the shoulder, particularly at night, decreasing function in the shoulder, and then stiffness in the shoulder. Dr. Stephen Brockmeier: We also see patients who come in with more inflammatory-based arthritis of the joint. And then the final problem that we see most commonly is related to trauma, whether it be soft tissue-based trauma, like rotator cuff disease, or trauma to the bones around the shoulder. Dr. Brian Werner: There's actually two different types of shoulder replacements. You have regular shoulder replacements, where you replace the ball with a ball, and the socket with a socket. And then you also have what's called a reverse shoulder replacement, where we do the surgery backward. We put a ball in the socket side, and a socket on the ball side. While that sounds a little bit confusing, the reason for doing that is for a specific subset of patients who have shoulder arthritis without a rotator cuff. If you do a regular shoulder replacement in that patient, they're not able to lift their arm up and actually use their arm. So a reverse shoulder replacement was developed specifically for patients with arthritis due to not having a rotator cuff. And we found that it works very, very well in those patients. Collectively, we do over 200 shoulder replacements a year, which is a very high number across the United States. So it's something we have a lot of experience in, and that definitely helps produce good outcomes after them. Dr. Stephen Brockmeier: I think we cover the spectrum in our orthopedic department as far as caring for any problem that any patient will have. And we're the common referral destination for patients with more challenging problems across our state.
Do You Need a Shoulder Replacement?
Most people who choose a shoulder joint replacement suffer from:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Rotator cuff injury
- Shoulder fracture
- Tendon or ligament tears
Any injury or repeated use can lead to the breakdown of cartilage. It's this breakdown that causes stiffness, swelling, and pain.
Whether you need surgery or not depends on your level of pain and movement. If shoulder pain keeps you from doing what you love, or what you need to do, you'll want to seek care.
We always try to find non-surgical solutions first. Learn more about joint pain treatment options.
What to Expect With Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Learn the details of what to expect before, during, and after your shoulder replacement surgery from the UVA Health team.
Types of Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Our expertise covers:
- Total shoulder replacements
- Reverse shoulder replacements
- Redo or revision of past shoulder replacement
Total Shoulder Replacements
Wear and tear over time, inflammation, and injury can all cause arthritis. Arthritis in your shoulder limits mobility and causes chronic pain.
In this procedure, we replace your shoulder joint with an artificial implant. The new ball and socket consist of plastic and metal.
You can have this surgery if you have arthritis and have not torn your rotator cuff.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacements
If you have arthritis and have a torn rotator cuff, or have a shoulder fracture that cannot be fixed, you may need a reverse shoulder replacement. Arthritis with a torn rotator cuff causes severe, constant pain that can also prevent raising the arm.
In this surgery, we replace your shoulder socket with a metal ball and the ball of your joint with a plastic socket. This reverse method relieves pain and restores movement better than the conventional type when there is a torn rotator cuff in addition to arthritis.
Shoulder Pain No More
"My range of motion is already 100 percent better and my pain is gone." In her own words, Mary Lou Stearns talks about the new lease on life she feels after having a shoulder replacement at UVA Health.
Physical Therapy Before & After Surgery
Sometimes, people need physical therapy before an operation. Obesity or other issues can get in the way of a successful procedure. Our teams will work with you to create a plan to get you in shape for your surgery.
After you get your shoulder replaced, you'll need physical therapy. Part of recovery involves:
- Building muscle
- Teaching your muscles how to move again
We aim to support you throughout your journey, from pain to healing.
Shoulder Replacement Timeline
How long will it all take?
- The procedure lasts 1-2 hours
- Average hospital stay: 1 night
- When you can shower again: 10-14 days after surgery
- How long you’ll wear a sling: 4-6 weeks
- Back at work: As early as 2 weeks, depending on your job
- Driving again when off pain meds and out of the sling
- Back to your favorite activity, swimming, tennis, etc: a few months