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Shoulder Replacement Surgery Helps Athletes Return to Sports

Home > News > Shoulder Replacement Surgery Helps Athletes Return to Sports
Posted: Mar 20, 2017 | by Alice | 0 Comment

shoulder replacement, total shoulder replacement, shoulder arthroplastyPeople under the age of 55 who have shoulder replacement surgery are highly likely to return to playing their favorite sport.

This is great news for thousands of younger patients who need shoulder replacement surgery due to repetitive movements required in sporting activities such as tennis, basketball, football, swimming, golf and fitness sports.

A small study presented this month at the annual meeting for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found that 55 out of 57 patients were back playing sports six months after their shoulder replacement surgery.

“Our results evaluated patients at an average of five years of follow up and most patients continued to be very satisfied and performed a high number of sporting activities, including those that required high use of their shoulders,” said study author Dr. Grant Garcia, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. “…Total shoulder arthroplasty may be a good option in younger patients who are indicated for a shoulder replacement.”

More than 50,000 people in the U.S. have shoulder replacement surgery each year, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. During the procedure, the damaged parts of the shoulder are removed and replaced with artificial components, called a prosthesis. A total shoulder replacement involves replacing the arthritic joint surfaces with a metal ball attached to a stem, and a plastic socket.

Among the study’s highlights:

  • Ninety-three percent of patients were satisfied with the outcomes of their surgery.
  • More than 90 percent of patients returned to a high-demand sport and 83.8 percent returned to a sport that required high use of the arms and shoulders.

+ Learn about shoulder replacement surgeries at Virginia Orthopaedics & Spine Specialists.

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