Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:18:03 GMT

Thanks Steve, yes I do weight training and some cardio work, especially as I did not swim for most of the last year! I learned the exercises to strengthen my rotator cuff, and use them as well as some for the bigger shoulder muscles. It does help, although building up weight training once I stopped swimming is what started the AC joint to hurt more. You can't win when you get older... Paul

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:58:28 GMT

Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback. I have been looking at local surgeons, especially checking out the Johns Hopkins team who also are sports medicine and Orioles team doctors. There are three to choose from in the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery area who all look good - my wife suggests using the one with 'shoulder' mentioned the most times in his interests - Steve Petersen www.hopkinsortho.org/steve_a_petersen_md.html I was also suggested by a friend to go to Dr Anand Murthi at the University of Maryland www.umm.edu/doctors/anand__murthi.html If anyone has any feedback on any of these doctors, good or bad I would love to hear it. I am back in the pool now swimming very gently - my AC joint hurts a lot, but as it is apparently due to arthritis I will just ice/NSAID it and ignore it. I want to lose some of the weight I have gained since stopping swimming so that the doctor will believe me when I say I need to be able to use the shoulder for competitive swimming once they finish working on it... I will let you all know how it goes. Paul

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

__steve__ — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:22:43 GMT

Do you lift weights? My left shoulder has fully dislocated a dozen or so times since 1993 and has given me trouble continuosly and I have never had surgery. It's happened so many times that I've learned to reset it myself. It also has changed how I sleep, my activities, even my appearance (left shoulder chest and back muscles look much different than the right). One thing though, it has not popped out of socket since 2001 and even though every single freestyle stroke is on the verge of disslocation, the swimming actually helps it. Even if I overdo the swimming it's usually my other shoulder (right) that becomes painful. The most advantageous thing I've done for it is weight training. If I didn't, I probably would have never started swimming last year, something I enjoy passionately. I also do several specialized shoulder workouts every other day with light weights that strengthen supporting muscles. My main point is not to discourage finding a surgeon, you probably know better than anyone what you need, but my own personal testimony of how weight training help me out. I don't know how many more years I have before I will need to do the same but for now it's in much better shape than before. Good luck

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:13:19 GMT

I've had 3 surgeries by Gordon Nuber at Northwestern in Chicago, he's great (Bears team MD as well).

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

orca1946 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:43:29 GMT

Good luck on who you choose to help you. :applaud:

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:59:26 GMT

I have had 3 shoulder scopes,for 3 different injuries,I highly recomend Anthony Miniaci, Cleveland Clinic. Sorry I know Cleveland is a distance from Maryland.

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:17:30 GMT

And get a second opinion too, if you want peace of mind. Particularly a good diagnosis of exactly what is wrong through imaging, before you even begin to discuss whether you are going to go into the OR.

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Former Member — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:20 GMT

The belief that all things John Hopkins is grand is risky...from personal experience. Dr. Jo Hannafin in NYC. www.hss.edu/physicians_hannafin-jo.asp -->The only orthopedic I will ever use from here on out...def worth what would be a few hours drive for you... She did both of my shoulder reconstructions and I was back in the water (swimming competitively) 2months post surgeries

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

ande — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:24:34 GMT

if I had shoulder trouble I'd go see Austin Sports Medicine orthopaedic surgeons Dr Nathan Breazeale or Dr Doug Elenz (Doug operated on Lance Armstrong when he broke his collar bone), I swam with both of them at UT

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Rich Abrahams — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:25:09 GMT

Nancy, You beat me to it. I agree with your advice 100%. Major league baseball teams have a huge investment in their players and usually have excellent docs that also understand athletes and their desire to get back to competition. These docs also get the best radiologists to read the mri's (mine got sent to some docs at UCLA) and also work with great pt's. At least that has been my experience here in Denver. Rich

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Nancy Ridout — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:33:09 GMT

I've had 4 shulder surgeries, 1 on the left and 3 on the right. My PT suggested I see the SF Giants orthopedist for the last one, Ken Akizuki, as he deals with over the head motion everyday with pitchers and players. It was an excellent choice - great experience with shoulders and working with athletes. While SF is a long way from Maryland, you might check out the orthopedist from the Orioles or the Nationals to see if they would work with you.

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

orca1946 — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:02:28 GMT

My wife has had 7 surgeries. The last 2 by Dr Charlie Rockwood in San Antonio, texas. He is HIGHLY recommended! Good luck!

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

DianaC — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:23:44 GMT

Try Dr Mustafa Haque in Chevy Chase. He is really nice, relatively young, understands swimmers, even does some swimming/tris himself. He was recommended to me by a friend (also a doc), because he did her husband's shoulder surgery. 301-657-9876 Summit Orthopedics.

RE: Help Finding Great Shoulder Surgeon

Swimosaur — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:40:17 GMT

Maryland? Based on my sincere belief that everything is great at Johns Hopkins, try www.hopkinsortho.org/.../shoulder.html All disclaimers apply.