Community Learns About Shoulder Replacements

DELAND, Fla., June 28, 2017 On June 26, community members joined Florida Hospital DeLand and Florida Hospital Fish Memorial for a free community seminar at the Victoria Gardens Clubhouse in DeLand.

Over a healthy lunch, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Brandon Steen discussed medical advancements in shoulder replacements.

As a former collegiate pitcher for the Ohio State University Buckeyes, Steen is no stranger to shoulder pain. His first-hand experience with sports-related injuries and rehabilitation piqued his interest in medicine and orthopedics early on during college.

Shoulder pain has an extremely wide spectrum and all patients with shoulder pain cannot all be treated the same, as patients experience unique outcomes, he said.

During the seminar, Steen identified six main factors to consider when evaluating patients for shoulder pain, including the patients age, any comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, the size of the rotator cuff tear, how long the tear has been present, arthritis, and pseudoparalysis, which is a voluntary restriction of motion due to pain.

Shoulder pain is very common due to rotator cuff tears. It's so common, in fact, that by age of 60, over 50 percent of people have a tear, and by age 80, about 75 percent of people have tear. However, not all need surgery, he said.

There are a multitude of reasons why the rotator cuff tears, Steen explained during the event. It could be caused by trauma or repetitive activity, or even a poor blood supply to the tendon.

Some patients with rotator cuff tears do not have pain, although most patients will eventually have pain, he said. Rotator cuff tears do not heal on their own and they can get larger over time, so it is important to see your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms.

About Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region

A member of Adventist Health System, Florida Hospitals mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ. Encompassing seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region is the largest hospital system in the area, with 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees. The Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region includes Florida Hospital DeLand in DeLand, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City, Florida Hospital Flagler in Palm Coast, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida Hospital Oceanside in Ormond Beach, Florida Hospital New Smyrna in New Smyrna Beach, and Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares.