Shoulder Doctor in Anchorage, AK

Discomfort in the shoulder joint can limit your range of motion and make it challenging for you to keep up with day-to-day responsibilities. Shoulder pain can worsen over time if not properly diagnosed and treated. The good news is diagnosis and treatment are both available here at our sports medicine and orthopedic practice. We have specialty-trained shoulder doctors who can take a look at your ailment and recommend the best remedy, from casting, splinting, and physical therapy programs to the latest in shoulder surgery.

But when should you schedule an appointment with a doctor? We recommend visiting our specialists if your shoulder pain worsens over time and you are unable to sleep at night or carry out simple tasks.

When you visit our specialists, the first step is always evaluation. We’ll ask some questions about your medical history, perform a full physical examination, and possibly recommend imaging. This might involve X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Each orthopedic doctor in our practice has ample experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of shoulder conditions. Some of the most common sources of shoulder pain include:

• Arthritis
• Bankart lesion
• Bursitis
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• Issues with the rotator cuff, including a torn rotator cuff
• Shoulder instability
• Sports-related injuries
• Tears in the ligament or the tendon
• Tendonitis (tendinitis)

Specialized Shoulder Care at Alaska Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic

Once your shoulder specialist provides you with a diagnosis, the next step is to discuss treatment. While shoulder surgery is sometimes necessary, including shoulder joint replacement surgery, we try to favor nonoperative treatments whenever possible for patients. Some examples of common nonsurgical shoulder treatments include medicine, cortisone injections, and physical therapy.

For more serious problems, however, these nonsurgical solutions may not be sufficient. In those cases, patients meet with one of our shoulder surgeons to discuss other treatment options. There are many types of shoulder surgery our specialists offer, including total shoulder replacement for arthritis. In shoulder replacement surgery, the joint is removed and replaced with a synthetic one, which can alleviate pain and restore you to a full range of motion.

Offering the latest surgical procedures for the shoulder, our surgeons’ expertise includes:

• Arthroscopic procedures
• Biceps tendon rupture surgery
• Labral and SLAP repair surgery
• Reverse shoulder replacement
• Rotator cuff tear surgery
• Shoulder dislocation and instability repair surgery
• Shoulder replacement

Our shoulder doctors are all board-certified in orthopedic surgery and have extensive experience in the specialized treatment of injuries and conditions of the shoulder to provide the care you need.