Shoulder injuries are very common and often involve surgical intervention, such as rotator cuff repairs, joint replacement, and labral repairs. Most surgical interventions of the shoulder are designed to repair or replace damaged tissue, including cartilage, muscles, joints, or tendons. Procedures will range from minimally invasive repairs to open surgery. Each procedure has different healing timelines and expected outcomes based on the type of injury and tissue involved.

Pre-Operative Care

Once surgical intervention is chosen, your surgeon will go over the procedure, the healing timeline, and what you should expect to feel after surgery. This is also an excellent time to plan for after the surgery, depending on how long you have to stay in the hospital and what restrictions you may have after the procedure. Before surgery, you may also meet with a physical therapist to assess your strength and mobility.

Post-Operative Care

Once the surgery is completed, you will be given specific instructions on wound care and provided with range of motion and lifting restrictions. You will have detailed instructions regarding pain management, wound management, and how the procedure went. Once the initial healing phase is complete, you will follow up with a physical therapist to regain your range of motion and strength. Each timeline will be different based on the procedure you have and the extent of the injury.

Shoulder Arthritis

Arthritis is the “wear and tear” condition in which the joint has lost its lubrication layer (the cartilage). In other words, the ball bearings are shot.

Pre-Op Info Sheet – Shoulder Replacement
Pre-Op Info Sheet – Reverse Shoulder Replacement

Rotator Cuff Tears

The rotator cuff is a series of muscles that has several important functions in your shoulder. For example, they help stabilize your shoulder and also assist in shoulder motion.

Pre-op Info Sheet

Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries / "Shoulder Separations"

A “shoulder separation” is an injury to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. This is often caused by a direct impact or a fall onto the outstretched hand.

Labral Tears and Shoulder Dislocations

The glenoid labrum is a bumper that surrounds the glenoid (the “cup”) of your shoulder joint. It helps maintain the stability of your shoulder joint.

Pre-op Info Sheet

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder is a painful condition in which the capsule (the outer layer of the shoulder) of your shoulder joint gets inflamed and limits your shoulder range of motion.

Pre-op Info Sheet

Shoulder Fractures

Dr. Bercik manages a wide variety of broken bones around the shoulder including the clavicle (“collar bone”), the proximal humerus, humeral shaft, the glenoid, and the scapula.

Arthroscopic Latarjet

Arthroscopic Latarjet

The Arthroscopic Latarjet procedure is a revolutionary surgical technique for treating chronic shoulder instability caused by bone loss or a glenoid fracture.