Of the two orthopedic surgery options that your daughter was presented with, she selected the one that was less invasive and had a slightly shorter recovery time. The shoulder injury that had been causing her pain for the last five months had gotten to the point where she was not even able to practice with her college gymnastics team. The pain had gotten so bad, in fact, that she was experiencing some major muscle spasms in her back which were preventing her from getting a good night’s rest. The lack of sleep, in return, was making the muscles tightness caused by the shoulder pain to get even worse.
Fortunately, the college athlete was able to get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while she was still in school and those results were sent to her home surgeon who was the one who presented her with the two orthopedic surgery options to repair the torn labrum tear in her shoulder. With the arthroscopic shoulder surgery option your daughter would be able to recover at home for a full two weeks before returning to campus. She would have nine months of rehabilitation, including pretty intense physical therapy services, and then could make a decision about trying to compete again for her senior year. The best news was that the surgeon was certain that she would feel an immediate relief in the amount of pain that she was experiencing.
Pain Management Options Can Help You Wind Relief
Whether you are an athlete looking to recover so that you can compete again, or you are someone who has dealt with back pain for years, finding the right surgeon and the right orthopedic surgery options can make a big difference. From outpatient arthroscopic surgery options to more invasive and intense procedures, it is important to explore all of the options when it comes to finding a solution to long or short term pain. Consider some of these facts and figures about the type of pain that many people experience and the treatment options that may find relief:
- 50 million Americans have arthritis and suffer from pain that might be alleviated through surgery or physical therapy.
- 59% of chronic-pain sufferers indicate that their pain has an impact on their overall enjoyment of life.
- Unfortunately, 37% of the Americans who experience low back pain never take the time to ask for professional help.
- Hip pain affects about 7% of U.S. adults at any given time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Knee pain is the second most common type of chronic pain.
- Chronic back pain is defined as pain that persists for 12 weeks or longer.
Instead of starting the new year in pain, maybe it is time that you make an appointment to see what your options are for surgery or physical therapy that could help you lead a fuller life.