Shoulder Disorders Richmond VA
Dr. Kiritsis' Specialties
Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Kiritsis
Shoulder Disorders & Injuries
Shoulder Pain | Orthopedic Surgery | Sports Medicine
Some joints in the body are more likely to develop problems from normal wear and tear. Degeneration causes the cartilage that cushions the joint to wear out. This type of arthritis is called osteoarthritis. Doctors sometimes refer to this type of arthritis as arthrosis.
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint in the shoulder is a common spot for osteoarthritis to develop in middle age. Degeneration of the AC joint can be painful and can cause difficulty using the shoulder for everyday activities.
A shoulder separation is a fairly common injury, especially in certain sports. Most shoulder separations are actually injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint.
The AC joint is the connection between the scapula (shoulder blade) and the clavicle (collarbone). Shoulder dislocations and AC joint separations are often mistaken for each other. But they are very different injuries.
Adhesive capsulitis, also called frozen shoulder, is a painful condition. It results in a severe loss of motion in the shoulder. It may follow an injury, or it may arise gradually with no injury or warning.
A biceps rupture involves a complete tear of the main tendon that attaches the top of the biceps muscle to the shoulder. It happens most often in middle-aged people and is usually due to years of wear and tear on the shoulder.
A torn biceps in younger athletes sometimes occurs during weightlifting or from actions that cause a sudden load on the arm, such as a hard fall with the arm outstretched.
Biceps tendonitis, also called bicipital tendonitis, is inflammation in the main tendon that attaches the top of the biceps muscle to the shoulder. The most common cause is overuse from certain types of work or sports activities.
Biceps tendonitis may develop gradually from the effects of wear and tear, or it can happen suddenly from a direct injury. The tendon may also become inflamed in response to other problems in the shoulder, such as rotator cuff tears, impingement, or instability (described below).
Calcific tendonitis of the shoulder happens when calcium deposits form on the tendons of your shoulder.
The tissues around the deposit can become inflamed, causing a great deal of shoulder pain. This condition is fairly common. It most often affects people over the age of 40.
The shoulder is a very complex piece of machinery. Its elegant design gives the shoulder joint a great range of motion, but not much stability. As long as all the parts are in good working order, the shoulder can move freely and painlessly.
Many people refer to any pain in the shoulder as bursitis. The term bursitis really only means that the part of the shoulder called the bursa is inflamed.
Tendonitis is when a tendon gets inflamed. This can be another source of pain in the shoulder. Many different problems can cause inflammation of the bursa or tendons.
Impingement syndrome is one of those problems. Impingement syndrome occurs when the rotator cuff tendons rub against the roof of the shoulder, the acromion.
Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Paul Kiritsis uses a tiny TV camera called an arthroscope to diagnose and treat shoulder problems, they have discovered several conditions that no one knew existed.
One of these conditions is an injury to a small structure in the shoulder called the labrum. A labral tear can cause pain and a catching sensation in the shoulder. Labral tears can be very difficult to diagnose.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
Reverse total shoulder replacement is a unique type of shoulder surgery used for specific disorders of the shoulder.
Most commonly, patients with arthritis and a large, chronic rotator cuff tear are ideal candidates for this surgery. It may also be used in patients with complex fractures or failed shoulder replacements.
The shoulder is an elegant and complex piece of machinery. Its design allows us to reach and use our hands in many different positions. However, while the shoulder joint has a great range of motion, it is not very stable.
This makes the shoulder vulnerable to problems if any of its parts aren’t in good working order. The rotator cuff tendons are key to the healthy functioning of the shoulder. They are subject to a lot of wear and tear, or degeneration, as we use our arms.
Tearing of the rotator cuff tendons is an especially painful injury. A torn rotator cuff creates a very weak shoulder. Most of the time patients with torn rotator cuffs are in late middle age. But rotator cuffs tears can happen at any age.
The shoulder is an elegant piece of machinery. It has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. However, this large range of motion can lead to joint problems.
Understanding how the different layers of the shoulder are built and connected can help you understand how the shoulder works, how it can be injured, and how challenging recovery can be when the shoulder is injured.
The deepest layer of the shoulder includes the bones and the joints. The next layer is made up of the ligaments of the joint capsule. The tendons and the muscles come next.
A shoulder dislocation is a painful and disabling injury of the glenohumeral joint.
Most dislocations are anterior (forward) but the shoulder can dislocate posteriorly (backwards). Inferior and posterolateral dislocations are possible but occur much less often.
The specific type of dislocation is based on the position of the humeral head in relation to the glenoid (shoulder socket) at the time of the diagnosis.
Shoulder instability means that the shoulder joint is too loose and is able to slide around too much in the socket.
In some cases, the unstable shoulder actually slips out of the socket. If the shoulder slips completely out of the socket, it has become dislocated. If not treated, instability can lead to arthritis of the shoulder joint.
The scapulothoracic joint is located where the shoulder blade (also called the scapula) glides along the chest wall (the thorax). When a movement of this joint causes the feeling or sounds of a grating, grinding, popping, or thumping, doctors call it snapping scapula syndrome.
Snapping scapula syndrome is fairly rare. When it happens, the soft tissues between the scapula and the chest wall are thick, irritated, or inflamed. Snapping scapula syndrome can also happen if the bones of the shoulder blade or ribcage grate over one another.
The sternoclavicular (SC) joint is important because it helps support the shoulder. The SC joint links the bones of the arms and shoulder to the vertical skeleton.
Most SC joint problems are relatively minor. However, certain types of injuries require immediate medical attention.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) can cause pain and numbness in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Testing for TOS is difficult. There is no one test to accurately diagnose TOS, and other conditions can have similar symptoms.
You will need to go through several tests to find out if TOS is actually the cause of your pain. Making the right diagnosis often takes time and can be a cause of frustration, both for you and your doctor.
Shoulder joint replacement surgery (also called shoulder arthroplasty) is not as common as replacement surgeries for the knee or hip joints.
Still, when necessary, this operation can effectively ease pain from shoulder arthritis. Most people experience improved shoulder function after this surgery.
Paul Kiritsis, MD
Dr. Kiritsis, a Richmond native, is one of a select number of Orthopedic Surgeons in the Richmond area to hold a second subspecialty board certification in Sports Medicine.