Shoulder Injuries Specialist

J. Michael Bennett, MD, PA

Orthopaedic Surgeon & Sports Medicine Specialist located in Bastrop, TX, Austin, TX, & San Marcos, TX

From simply raising your hand over your head to tossing a football, your shoulder is one of the most utilized joints in your body. However, your shoulder’s flexibility also makes it more prone to injury, which can lead to pain and immobility. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist J. Michael Bennett, MD, PA, offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment options for shoulder injuries. Call one of the offices in Houston, Sugar Land, or Katy, Texas, to set up your consultation today. You can also book online.

Shoulder Injuries Q & A

What are shoulder injury symptoms?

Shoulder injuries are common. Athletes who engage in repetitive overhead arm movements, such as swimmers and tennis players, are especially prone to shoulder injuries. However, you can also injure your shoulder by lifting a heavy box or pulling weeds from your garden.

Symptoms of a shoulder injury include:

Shoulder pain
Stiffness or immobility
Feeling as though your arm is popping out of its socket
Arm or shoulder weakness

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, contact Dr. Bennett for an evaluation of your pain.

What are common shoulder injuries?

Your shoulder is a complex joint made up of bone, muscle, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that are all vulnerable to injury. Common shoulder injuries include:

Shoulder impingement

Shoulder impingement occurs when your soft tissue rubs against your acromion, located at the top of your shoulder blade.

Frozen shoulder

With a frozen shoulder, you’re unable to move your shoulder in any direction without feeling extreme pain.

Bursitis

Bursitis refers to inflammation of your bursae, which are fluid-filled sacs in-between your bone and tendon.

Calcific deposit

Calcific deposit refers to the formation of hard calcium deposits in your rotator cuff, leading to inflammation and pain

Shoulder fractures

Shoulder fractures refer to a break in the ball or socket joint of your shoulder.

Shoulder instability

If your shoulder joint moves out of its normal position, then you may have shoulder instability.

SLAP (superior labrum and posterior) and Bankart tear

Labrum, cup-shape cartilage, cushions your shoulder’s ball and socket joint. SLAP and Bankart tears refer to the types of labrum tears.

Bicipital tendinitis

Bicipital tendinitis refers to inflammation of your upper bicep tendon.

How are shoulder injuries treated?

Dr. Bennett develops individualized treatment plans for the management of your shoulder injury. He generally takes a conservative approach to care, including activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy.

However, if conservative measures fail to improve your symptoms or your shoulder injury is severe, Dr. Bennett may recommend surgery. In most cases, he uses arthroscopic procedures to address any issues. This approach is a minimally invasive technique that can reduce your recovery time.

For expert care of your shoulder injury from an experienced and innovative orthopedic surgeon, contact J. Michael Bennett, MD, PA, by calling the office nearest you.

What we offer