Like your knees and hips, your shoulder is another joint that there are replacement options for. Many people don’t think about shoulders when it comes to replacement surgery. Shoulder replacement surgery is relatively new compared to hip and knee surgery. Doctors began replacing shoulder joints in the 1950’s and they were used mainly for shoulder fractures. Now, approximately 23,000 people have shoulder replacement surgery each year. That is a relatively low number compared to the 700,000+ people who have knee and hip replacement surgery.

Similar to your hip joint, the shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The ball is located at the top of the arm bone and the socket is found in the shoulder blade. The shoulder is one of the joints where people have an incredible range of motion. This large range of motion can wreak havoc on the cartilage within the joint over a period of years.

Anatomy of the Shoulder

Anatomy of the Shoulder

Over time, the ball part of the joint rubbing inside the socket can cause the cartilage to wear down which can result in pain. If the cartilage wears down too much and the pain becomes too severe, your doctor may recommend replacement surgery. When the shoulder is replaced, the ball part of the joint is removed and replaced with a metal implant. The implant is shaped sort of like a half moon and attached to a stem. The stem is inserted down into the center of the arm bone. The socket portion of the joint is shaved out and replaced with a plastic socket that is cemented in for stability.

Shoulder Joint Replacement

Shoulder Joint Replacement

Recovery from shoulder replacement surgery is fairly manageable for most patients. Easy physical therapy can begin the day after surgery. Simple tasks like eating and dressing can usually be accomplished about 2 weeks after surgery. Most patients need continual assistance for about 6 weeks after surgery. During and after that time, physical therapy continues with stretching and strength exercises. This therapy helps the patient regain their range of motion, but this time without the pain.