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Orthopedic Surgery

Rotator Cuff Injuries and Orthopedic Surgery

Blog and News, Dr Martin, Orthopedic Surgeon Phoenix - , , , , -

rotator cuff injury_phoenix orthopedic surgery

One of the most common orthopedic injuries that we operate on here in Phoenix is directly related to the rotator cuff in the shoulder. Phoenix orthopedic surgeons are  very familiar with rotator cuff repair, surgery and recovery, and Dr. Martin is highly trained to not only treat related injuries, but diagnose them properly as well.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

The rotator cuff consists of the muscles and tendons that make up your shoulder. This region is not only intricate, it is extremely important in shoulder movement, range of motion, and strength. The rotator cuff quite literally is the cuff of ligaments holding the ball of your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket.

Injury to this area is quite common among athletes, specifically those in repetitive motion sports like tennis, and weekend warriors. Rotator cuff tears can be from a bad fall, lifting, or repetitive activities. Pitchers are quite often seen by Phoenix orthopedic surgeons for rotator cuff injuries due to the repetitiveness of that position.

In many cases, nearly 50% of all rotator cuff injuries, treatment involves some good, old R and R. However, there are instances with a Phoenix orthopedic surgeon is needed to repair a tendon or muscle tear.

Rotator Cuff Repairs

Conditions such as tendinitis and/or bursitis, left untreated, can lead to necessary orthopedic surgery, but in most cases you will need to see a Phoenix orthopedic surgeon for tears in the rotator cuff.

Orthopedic surgery on a rotator cuff involves either making more room for the irritated tendons and muscles or sewing torn edges of a ligament tear. Your Phoenix orthopedic surgeon will make an incision 2 inches to 3 inches in the shoulder. Any lose fragments of tendon will be removed and shaving or removing bone spurs might be executed, depending on the condition or injury.

Your Phoenix orthopedic surgeon will sew any torn tendons, repairing the injury.

Recovery involves a short stay in the hospital, followed by immobilization of the arm for a defined period of time to allow for healing. Many times, physical therapy is needed for a full recovery, especially for athletes. 

If you are suffering from chronic shoulder pain, Dr. Martin can help. If you’ve just experienced a recent injury to the shoulder, give Dr. Martin a call today to have the injury and shoulder examined by the best orthopedic surgeon in Arizona. Waiting to have pain in the shoulder properly examined can lead to greater complications and more pain down the road.

Splint Pectoralis Tender Transfer – Pre and Post-Operative: Videos

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“I fell off a ladder seven rungs up suffered paralyses of my Long Thoracic Nerve, creating extreme winging of my left scapula…making it extremely difficult (and painful) to lift, grip, or pull anything across my body. This interfered with my daily life and limited my bodily activities and movements. I found Dr. Martin 6 months following my injury, after visiting several other physicians and even being misdiagnosed. Dr. Martin did an extensive analysis of my injury and performed a splint Pectoralis Tender Transfer to solve my problem. The biggest improvement to my life he made was that I didn’t have to go through constant pain – rated 8 out of 10 point scale – on an everyday basis. I am now between no pain and a “two” on my worst days. I had an excellent experience going to Dr. Martin and would recommend him to anyone.”

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What is the Recovery Time for a Torn ACL?

Blog and News, Dr Martin, Orthopedic Surgeon Phoenix - , , , -

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With the NBA playoffs in full swing, many in the Arizona sports medicine world are wondering where Derrick Rose is. Why isn’t Derrick Rose back on the court yet? How bad was his ACL injury, and what is taking his ACL surgery recovery so long? In sports medicine, one of our main focuses in Arizona is prevention, however treatment and recovery are also a large part of what we do. And in the recovery phase, it’s most often the patient’s body that dictates the length of time.

Derrick Rose and ACL Surgery

In April of 2012, Derrick Rose, a Chicago Bulls strong forward with amazing skills that led him to a Most Valuable Player award, tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and underwent surgery. Surgery went as planned, physical therapy ensued and his sports medicine doctors cleared him to play. So, why isn’t he playing?

Rose told ESPN that “he didn’t have the muscle memory and was still thinking instead of reacting.” Could it be that, although his physicians have cleared him to play, his muscles are not ready? Just this week, the Chicago Bulls lost their final game in the NBA Playoffs, and many fans are left to question if the return of Rose could have prevented this playoff elimination.

Torn ACL Surgery Recovery Time

Speaking as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon, a torn anterior cruciate ligament is a common sports injury occurring within the knee quite often from a sudden stop or change in direction. The torn ACL will immediately swell, feel unstable and become awfully painful. Many times you’ll see NBA players fall to the floor in agony after suffering a torn ACL.

Depending on the severity of the torn ACL, the Arizona athlete could require invasive treatment, surgery, physical therapy, and can expect a long recovery. It is expected that nearly 200,000 people will suffer from an ACL injury in 2013 alone.

Orthopedic surgery on a torn ACL in Arizona could mean a tendon graft to replace the torn pieces of tendon. New techniques such as anteromedial drilling can replace torn tendon in a far more efficient manner, allowing the knee to move more naturally and thus limiting the risks for a torn ACL in the future.

Arizona rehabilitation and physical therapy will include range-of-motion exercises and muscle-strengthening and stability exercises. After an Arizona orthopedic surgeon attaches the ligaments and tendons, you can expect a 4 to 6 month recovery time.

So why isn’t Derrick Rose back in the game? As an Arizona orthopedic surgeon, I see many reasons why Rose has not made it back onto the court, many of which are due to continued physical ailments. While many fans see Rose’s refusal to hit the court a mental thing fueled by fear, however as an Arizona orthopedic surgeon we know that a variety of physical ailments might still be plaguing him.

After ACL surgery, problems related to the affected area can still occur, including limited range of motion, numbness and pain, grating of the kneecap, muscle loss, muscle stiffness, and a higher risk for repeat ACL tear. In the case of a professional NBA player, this physical ailments, though they might not affect a non-athlete, can greatly affect things like Rose’s shot, his ability to move on the court, his rebound abilities, even his reaction time.

As an Arizona orthopedic surgeon who has surgically treated many ACL tears, it’s understandable that Rose did not make it back onto the court. With so many factors playing into his decision, it’s time to respect his choice.

Dr. Shelden Martin Joins Arizona Rattlers as Team Physician

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OrthoArizona Physician, Dr. Shelden Martin Joins Arizona Rattlers as Team Physician

CHANDLER, ARIZ. (January 6th, 2013) – OrthoArizona is pleased to announce sports medicine and shoulder, elbow specialist, Dr. Shelden Martin, as the official 2013 Head Team Physician for the Arizona Rattlers. Dr. Martin will serve as the team’s head orthopedic surgeon and will be assigned to oversee the medical team that provides orthopedic and medical care for the Rattlers’ athletes and coaches.

Dr. Martin is a full-time orthopedic surgeon with Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, a division of OrthoArizona, specializing in sports medicine, and shoulder elbow surgery. He will be joining the Rattler’s staff this year with the season’s kick-off on March 1st, 2013. Dr. Martin has experience working with many professional, collegiate and high school athletic teams including the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Knights, Joe Gibbs Racing team and the University of North Carolina athletic department. He currently provides care for the Chicago White Sox during baseball spring training and the local Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe High Schools.

Born in Lancaster, PA, Dr. Martin received his Undergraduate Degree at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. He then received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his General Surgery Internship and Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. He completed his training with a one-year fellowship specializing in Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Shoulder, Elbow Surgery with OrthoCarolina at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.

Dr. Martin is a board-eligible orthopedic surgeon with the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, and specializes in sports medicine, shoulder, elbow and knee surgery. Research conducted by Dr. Martin at the University of Pennsylvania led to the discovery of the gene responsible for a rare, debilitating, genetic bone disease. His research has been presented both nationally and internationally, and published extensively in peer-reviewed literature.

Dr. Martin is proud to begin his duties with the Arizona Rattlers this spring. In conjunction with this announcement, Dr. Martin would like to announce the merging of his solo practice with Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, a division of OrthoArizona and the launch of his official website http://www.OrthopedicArizona.com.