For avid skiers, the road to recovery from shoulder surgery can be challenging, but with the right guidance and dedication, you can safely get back to the sport. Dr. William Sterett, a seasoned shoulder dislocation doctor at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery, is committed to helping patients regain strength, stability, and confidence in their shoulders.

Understanding the cause of your shoulder pain is the first step to a full recovery. Working with a sports medicine specialist like Dr. Sterett ensures a tailored treatment plan that addresses the specific injury and your unique needs as an athlete.

Shoulder instability occurs when the structures surrounding the shoulder joint no longer keep the ball within its socket, leading to frequent shoulder dislocations or a feeling that the shoulder might give out. This condition can result from a traumatic injury, repetitive strain, or congenital factors.

The question, "can a dislocated shoulder cause a rotator cuff tear?" is often asked by patients. The answer is yes. The force that dislocates the shoulder can indeed cause a tear in the rotator cuff.

Dr. Sterett states, "Shoulder popping may originate from dynamic interactions between the bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage within the joint”

Dr. Sterett explains, “The most common direction for a shoulder dislocation is anteriorly – where the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder socket towards the front of the body. This type of dislocation, known as an anterior shoulder dislocation, accounts for approximately 95% of all shoulder dislocations.”

Certain sports, like kayaking, hang gliding or big wave surfing can lead to a life-threatening situation if the shoulder pops out a second time.

Rotator Cuff Tears are a major injury, but you can bounce back to full activity after surgery.

Are you considering shoulder replacement surgery?  If you experience chronic pain prohibiting you from living an active lifestyle, you should think about it.

I hear people refer to shoulder separations and shoulder dislocations as the same thing quite often. Let’s clear up the confusion.

A injury to the rotator cuff due to an intense trauma such as a bad fall will cause intense pain to the shoulder, combined with weakness in the upper arm. So how do you know if you need rotator cuff surgery?

A labrum tear of the shoulder can be painful. Here's some info on the torn labrum from Dr. Bill Sterett. 

Hello and welcome to this week's post on #thekneedoctor.  I've been receiving quite a few thoughtful questions via email and social media, so I thought I'd tackle a few here today.  

Shoulder impingement undermines shoulder strength during many activities, whether it be while playing high-level athletics or merely reaching in the cupboard for some gourmet fancy pink himalayan salt.

The best testimonies to the improved surgery and rehab are the athletes who have succeeded on a high level post-operation. Here are a few athletes who have come back from catastrophic injuries to continue competing at a world-class level.