We repair joints with PRP Stem Cell Therapy. Each joint has its qualities and character. The shoulder is interesting. Here are some fun facts.
- There’s no socket!
Joints like the hip have a really great, deep socket. The shoulder has no such socket. The ball of the arm bone instead moves against a basically flat surface on the shoulder blade. What a curious design!
- The whole thing barely has any bony connection to the rest of the skeleton.
Think about the arm, the shoulder joint, the whole shoulder blade and all the surrounding tissue. That’s a heavy bunch of stuff. Well, how does it connect to the rest of the skeleton? It barely connects. The only bony connection is where it connects to the collarbone. That’s a curious, tenuous, minimal bony connection to the rest of the skeleton.
- It goes all over the place.
At least when it is healthy, your shoulder allows your arm to go all over the place. Your knee can’t go in so many directions, nor can your finger joints or ankle, nor can your hip.
- Muscles matter even more for your shoulder.
Muscles are used around every joint in the body, but the shoulder is more dependent on muscles than any other joint. The relative lack of bony connection to the rest of the skeleton, the lack of a bony cup or socket, and the many directions of its movement mean that muscles have more critical jobs in this region. In a previous newsletter, I provided video about the rotator cuff – four muscles crucial to the shoulder. The Fitness page of our website explains that our joint repair process commonly needs follow-up exercise of muscles, possibly guided by a physical therapist.
A former patient, also a lifelong handball player, recently visited us just to share the story of his shoulder repair here, years ago:
This week it was very windy. So, I provide you with a clip from Windsong, from the album Travel Guide, by Ralph Towner, Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Slava Grigoryan. This is a more recent addition to the music we play at New Mexico Pain Management.
Finally, after I sign off, I offer some photos I took today outside of our office. Spring is here.
Dr. Jonas Skardis
