Shoulder Conditions

If your shoulder pain is bothering you and affecting your ability to perform everyday tasks, do not hesitate to make an appointment with us. It’s better to play it safe than to keep doing the things that may cause your shoulder condition to deteriorate. And with treatment, you could be feeling better fast.

At Shoulder Elbow Orthopaedic Clinic, we have a dedicated team of shoulder specialist orthopaedic surgeons who will provide a detailed diagnosis and custom treatment plan for your shoulder conditions.

With our four convenient locations at Mt Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Farrer Park Medical Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, and Mount Alvernia Hospital our specialist orthopaedic surgeons are ready to put you on the path to recovery.

Here are some examples of the conditions we treat:

Rotator Cuff Tear

Made up of four muscles that come together as tendons, the rotator cuff is what holds your scapula and humerus together. The rotator cuff is responsible for your ability to lift and rotate your arm.

If any of these tendons are damaged or torn, they are no longer fully attached to the top of your humerus. A torn tendon typically begins to fray before completely tearing. You may experience either a partial or full-thickness tear.

Shoulder Impingement

Shoulder impingement is usually caused by pinching of the rotator cuff tendons and their overlying bursa between the bones in one’s shoulder, which can occur when reaching overhead. Shoulder impingement can also be associated with other rotator cuff injuries.

Typically, an impinging shoulder will resolve itself in a matter of weeks to months. This is especially so with the right strengthening exercises. However, there are cases where it can become an ongoing problem.

Dislocated Shoulder

A dislocated shoulder refers to an injury where your humerus (upper arm bone) pops out of the cup-shaped socket, which is a part of your shoulder blade, where it sits. Should this happen, your joint may become unstable. Additionally, you might find that once you’ve had a shoulder dislocation, you may be prone to dislocating it again.

Due to the nature of the shoulder joint and its ability to move in various directions, you can dislocate your shoulder either backwards or forwards, downwards, and completely or partially.

SLAP Tear

A Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior Tear (a SLAP Tear) refers to the damage of the top part of the labrum in your shoulder. Your labrum is a cup-shaped rim of fibrous tissue that helps to cushion the shoulder joint’s socket. It is responsible for stabilising the shoulder. The superior labrum is the part that is attached to your biceps’ tendon.

SLAP tears are often the result of repetitive use of the shoulder. Through repetitive overhead use, the labrum may fray or detach. This is why athletes are more likely to suffer from SLAP tears, due to the heavy requirements of most sports.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a common cause of shoulder pain and stiffness that commonly affects patients above the age of 40. A thin capsule usually covers the shoulder joint. When this capsule gets inflamed, it causes pain, and the shoulder becomes stiff. This usually resolves with time.

The tightening and thickening of the connective tissue restricts the movement of your shoulder, causing frozen shoulder. Most commonly, it is a secondary result of underlying shoulder injuries such as shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injury, shoulder dislocation, or SLAP tear.

Shoulder Arthritis

Shoulder arthritis is the result of the general wear and tear of the cartilage present in your shoulder joint. The cartilage covers the surface of the bones in your joints and allows the bones to glide smoothly over each other when the joints move.

As the cartilage begins to break down, the exposed bone may rub against each other and cause you to feel pain.The cartilage tends to break down when faced with stress. Therefore, more painful and stressful activities are likely to break down the cartilage more.