North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic is pleased to perform total shoulder replacement procedures for patients in Durham, North Carolina, and surrounding areas. If you’re living with shoulder pain caused by arthritis, an acute injury, or another condition, and conservative treatments aren’t providing sufficient relief, you may benefit from having damaged components of your shoulder replaced.

What Does a Total Shoulder Replacement Involve?

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, with the humerus (the upper arm bone) fitting into the scapula (the shoulder blade). During a total shoulder replacement procedure, the surgeon replaces the top of the humerus with a prosthetic ball, and the socket portion of the scapula with a prosthetic cup. 

What to Expect During Recovery

Recovery for total shoulder replacement surgery will vary depending on whether you had the procedure performed traditionally or arthroscopically, and your surgeon will be able to provide you with more specifics about what to expect during this process. With that being said, you may experience some pain, which can be treated with local anesthetics, pain medication, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). You may need to wear a sling to support your shoulder, and you should also expect to participate in physical therapy, which can help you regain your strength and range of motion.

Schedule an Appointment

If you think you could benefit from total shoulder replacement surgery and you’re in the Durham, NC, area, contact North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced providers. We look forward to helping you achieve your treatment goals.