The rotator cuff keeps your shoulder joint in place while helping you preform lifting and rotating motions. Made up of four muscles that form tendons around the shoulder joint, the rotator cuff keeps the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) in the shoulder socket. 

When there’s a tear to the rotator cuff, the pain can be severe and prolonged. At that point, Dr. Sterett and his Vail Valley team may recommend surgery.

When Do You Need Rotator Cuff Surgery

A torn rotator cuff can be the result of an acute injury, overuse through repetitive motion (degenerative injury), or the general wear-and-tear that comes with age. Rotator cuff tears can be partial or complete. Symptoms that typically accompany a torn rotator cuff include:

• Sharp, severe pain immediately following the injury

• A constant dull ache 

• Progressive weakness

• Impacted range of motion

• Inability to lay down on the affected shoulder without causing pain

• Pain that worsens at night

Patients usually schedule an appointment with Dr. Sterett once these symptoms have persisted for longer than a week or if they’ve caused the person to lose function in their arm. High-level athletes (for example, baseball and tennis players) and laborers with jobs that require repetitive motions (such as carpenters) are common rotator cuff patients of Team Sterett. 

After diagnosing the rotator cuff injury with a physical exam and imaging, Dr. Sterett will discuss a treatment plan with the patient based on their lifestyle and activity level.

If the injury is too severe for non-surgical methods of treatment, or if the patient has a goal of returning to a high level of sports performance, Dr. Sterett and his team at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery may recommend surgery.

What Happens During Rotator Cuff Surgery

As a leading orthopaedic physician who’s contributed to innovation in the treatment of rotator cuff tears, Dr. Sterett is an expert in surgical rotator cuff repair methods. Thanks to his training and years of experience, Dr. Sterett can offer most of his rotator cuff patients outpatient surgery. 

The most common of the rotator cuff surgeries Dr. Sterett performs are:

• Arthroscopic Repair: This method of rotator cuff surgery is considered the least invasive, and the one Dr. Sterett performs most often. Several small incisions are made in the shoulder, and a camera is inserted. This allows Dr. Sterett to get a visual of the injury. Special tools are inserted into the other incisions to remove the damaged tissue and repair the torn tendon. 

• Open Repair: Open rotator cuff is typically only recommended for patients with complicated tears or patients who need reconstruction surgery on the torn tendons. During this procedure, a large incision is made over the shoulder, enabling Dr. Sterett and his team to separate the muscle and operate on the damaged tendon. 

The type of surgery Dr. Sterett and his team recommend depends on a few different factors, including: 

• Whether the patient has a complete or partial tear

• The patient’s unique anatomy 

• The health of the patient’s tendon tissue

• The condition of the bone inside the shoulder joint

• Whether a tendon transfer is needed

After your surgery, Dr. Sterett and his team work with their patients to design a recovery plan with the goals of restoring shoulder function, getting them back to the activities they love, and performing at high levels.

Contact Dr. Sterett to Discuss Your Shoulder Pain Today

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain that’s impacting the quality of your life, contact Team Sterett today. Conveniently practicing out of two clinics in Edwards and Vail, Colorado, Dr. Sterett can often provide same or next-day appointments. 

Request your consultation today by calling (970) 476-7220 or through Team Sterett’s online platform. The first step to recovery is only a phone call away!