Shoulder Arthritis Specialist
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Michael P. Leathers, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon located in Midtown, Sacramento, CA
More than 50 million Americans have arthritis, and the debilitating pain experienced with shoulder arthritis can significantly reduce your range of motion. At his clinic in Midtown Sacramento, California, Michael P. Leathers, MD, offers innovative surgical and nonsurgical treatments for orthopedic conditions such as shoulder arthritis. You don’t have to suffer from arthritis pain; call Michael P. Leathers, MD, or schedule an appointment online.
Shoulder Arthritis Q & A
What is shoulder arthritis?
Shoulder arthritis is a condition that affects your shoulder joint, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.
In addition to pain in the shoulder, these types of arthritis often cause reduced range of motion. Sometimes, you might also notice a clicking, snapping, or grinding sound when you move your shoulder.
What causes shoulder arthritis?
There are several types of shoulder arthritis with various causes, including:
- Osteoarthritis: the result of degeneration of the shoulder joint cartilage
- Rheumatoid: a chronic condition that causes your joint lining to swell
- Post-traumatic: develops following a shoulder injury such as a fracture
- Rotator cuff tear arthropathy: due to rotator cuff tear damage
- Avascular necrosis: caused by the diminished blood supply to shoulder joint tissues
There’s no cure for shoulder arthritis, but Dr. Leathers provides a variety of nonsurgical and surgical treatment options to ease your symptoms.
How is shoulder arthritis treated without surgery?
Depending on your symptoms, Dr. Leathers might recommend several nonsurgical therapies to relieve your arthritis symptoms. These might include:
- Icing and resting your shoulder
- Physical therapy to help your range of motion
- Medications, NSAIDs, or dietary supplements to reduce pain and inflammation
- Therapeutic injections such as cortisone or regenerative treatments like PRP
If your arthritis symptoms don’t respond to conservative therapies, Dr. Leathers might suggest surgical options.
How is shoulder arthritis surgically treated?
Dr. Leathers is a skilled orthopedic surgeon who performs several surgical procedures for shoulder arthritis.
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive treatment that enables Dr. Leathers to remove damage from your joint through tiny incisions. While this approach provides pain relief, it doesn’t remove arthritis from your joint, and it may need repeating in the future.
Anatomic shoulder replacement
Shoulder replacement surgery has been an integral medical procedure in the United States since the 1950s. During this procedure, Dr. Leathers replaces damaged parts of your shoulder joint and replaces them with prosthetic components.
Reverse total shoulder replacement
An anatomical shoulder replacement simulates your natural shoulder structure to create a new shoulder joint. A plastic cap fits in your shoulder socket, and a metal ball is attached to the top of your upper arm bone.
During a reverse total shoulder replacement, Dr. Leathers corrects your arthritis, reversing these structures. Instead of attaching a metal ball to your upper arm bone, it’s fitted into your shoulder socket. He then places a cap over your upper arm bone and secures it to your new ball joint.
Call Michael P. Leathers, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.
