Shoulder Arthritis
The shoulder joint is formed by the head of the humerus and the scapula.
Shoulder Arthritis is a progressive and irreversible degenerative disease that attacks and destroys the articular cartilage and subchondral bone of the joint. Compared to Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis, it occurs less frequently, as the Shoulder joint does not receive the same loads as the large joints of the lower extremities.
How does shoulder arthritis develop?
Arthritis develops over time and is characterized by the deterioration of the articular cartilage and the gradual contact of the bones of the joint. This results in deformation of the articular surface, painful movement of the joint and ultimately restriction and inability of movement of the limb.
What are the predisposing factors for the occurrence of shoulder arthritis?
Although the exact etiology of the disease is unknown, various predisposing factors have been implicated.
- Age (most often >50 years, due to degeneration)
- Injuries/fractures in the shoulder area
- Systemic diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (early onset of Osteoarthritis)
- Aseptic necrosis of the humeral head (after long-term cortisone use)
- Chronic Shoulder Instability
What are the symptoms of shoulder arthritis?
The main symptoms of Shoulder Arthritis are pain, stiffness and weakness. As Arthritis progresses, the symptoms gradually worsen. In the early stages of the disease, they present upon waking in the morning, then improve and worsen again during the day. Stiffness and limited range of motion cause progressive problems, even in simple daily activities. As the disease progresses, the clinical picture becomes more intense, flare-ups more frequent and many patients report difficulty sleeping due to pain. The shoulder begins to atrophy, while often appearing warm and swollen.
How is shoulder arthritis treated?
Conservative treatment
In the early stages of the disease when the patient’s daily life has not been affected, Arthritis is treated conservatively.
- Avoiding stress on the joint
- Muscle Strengthening
- Taking analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapies
Biological therapies
In cases where cartilage damage is limited, local injections can relieve the patient from symptoms and delay the progression of arthritis. These include:
- Autologous growth factor (PRP) injection
- Hyaluronic acid injection
- Stem cell injection/STEM cells
- Cortisone injection
Surgical treatment
When Arthritis affects young people, joint degeneration is in the early stages and conservative treatments do not yield the desired results, the doctor may recommend Shoulder Arthroscopy. With Arthroscopic lavage, the joint is cleaned of any loose bodies and the irritated synovial membrane is removed. Thus, the patient is relieved of the painful symptoms of the disease.
In advanced stages of Arthritis, the definitive solution is the replacement of the damaged articular surfaces with special prostheses. This is achieved in 2 ways:
- With Anatomical Shoulder Arthroplasty, where the humeral head and the surface of the glenoid cavity are replaced without changing the normal anatomical image of the joint.
- With Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: in recent years it has been the method of choice in shoulder surgery, which changes the normal anatomical image of the joint, without affecting the postoperative movement of the joint.
