Winter has arrived, which means one thing for ski and snowboard fans: it's time to hit the slopes! However, that also means that Dr. Sterett, Vail Valley's leading orthopaedic surgeon, begins to see an increase in shoulder injuries – the most common being rotator cuff tears.

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

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?

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.