Everything You Need To Know About Rotator Cuff Surgery
If you have experienced a rotator cuff injury, it is important to get treatment in order to manage your symptoms and prevent further damage to the shoulder. In many cases, rotator cuff surgery forms an important part of treatment. Below, we will explore the most important facts about rotator cuff surgery. 
Understanding Rotator Cuff Tears
The rotator cuff is a set of four muscles and tendons in the shoulder. The rotator cuff works to keep the shoulder stable and to move the arm over the head. A rotator cuff injury usually manifests as a tear to one of the tendons. This can lead to pain, shoulder instability, shoulder weakness, and shoulder stiffness.
Rotator cuff injury is most common in athletes who use the shoulder’s full range of motion, like swimmers and tennis players. It often manifests as an overuse injury, but can also be a traumatic injury.
If the tear is mild to moderate, it may be possible to treat it without surgery, depending on the tear’s location. However, moderate to severe tears often require surgical treatment, especially in athletes and young people.
How Rotator Cuff Surgery Works
During rotator cuff surgery, the doctor operates on the shoulder joint. The procedure can usually be performed using arthroscopic surgery, which is minimally invasive. During shoulder surgery, the doctor makes one or more small incisions near the shoulder. Through one incision, a camera is inserted. This allows the doctor to see the inside of the joint. Through the other incision(s), tools are inserted.
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is usually done in an outpatient setting, with no need for a hospital setting. Patients are placed under local anesthesia and sedation instead of general anesthesia.
Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery
It is preferable to use minimally invasive surgery whenever it is appropriate to do so because minimally invasive surgery has numerous advantages over open joint surgery. Since the procedure is less invasive, it comes with a markedly lower risk of side effects. In addition, the procedure is usually more convenient for patients and comes with a shorter downtime. 
The Recovery Period
Although rotator cuff surgery is minimally invasive, the total recovery time from a rotator cuff injury is still substantial in most cases. Although patients can return to basic, everyday tasks within a few days of the surgery, it is usually weeks or months until full function returns. It is especially important for athletes to fully heal before resuming training at their previous level in order to prevent re-injury.
If you have a rotator cuff injury, Dr. Howard Marans would be happy to hear from you. To schedule a consultation with Orange County’s top orthopedic surgeon, please click below and enter your information or call OC Orthopedic at (714) 979-8981.