How to Choose the Best Orthopedic Shoulder Surgeon
If you’ve suffered a shoulder injury or are experiencing pain, you want to pick the best shoulder surgeon in your area. The question is, how do you figure out which orthopedic surgeon is the best for you?
The quickest answer to that question: research. Unfortunately, it’s a bit more involved than a simple Google search for “best shoulder surgeon near me.”
While that search may give you a whole list of results, there are better ways to vet the orthopedic surgeons in your area.
Tips for Researching Orthopedic Surgeons
No matter whether you’re searching for a shoulder specialist in Utah, Florida or Timbuktu, the same basic principles apply across the board.
Ask Your Friends, Family, Neighbors and Co-workers
We’re in the golden years of the digital age, where smartphones, tablets and other internet-fueled technologies are always within reach. As such, we tend to first turn to the internet to answer all of our pressing questions.
When it comes to finding the best shoulder surgeon for you, the first step is to ask the people in your life for their recommendations. The internet is a useful tool; however, first-hand knowledge, experience and opinions from people you trust can help steer your research in the right direction.
Read the Orthopedic Surgeons’ Online Reviews
Once you’ve compiled a list of recommendations from friends, family and trusted acquaintances, it’s time to hop online and see what the rest of their patients have to say. And while going straight to the source on the orthopedic surgeon’s website can be helpful, it’s important to know that some shoulder surgeons and other orthopedic specialists may curate the reviews on their websites.
That is why you should also consider each surgeon’s Google reviews, healthgrades reviews and reviews provided by your local health network, hospital or health insurer. The goal is to get a comprehensive look at all of your options while focusing on the aspects of care that are most important to you.
Questions to Ask Your Orthopedic Shoulder Surgeon
Once you’ve narrowed the field of surgeons and made your choice, there are a few important questions you should ask your orthopedic surgeon to determine if he or she is right for you.
Can this be done with minimally-invasive surgical techniques?
As technology advances, so do surgical techniques. Many orthopedic and shoulder surgeries can now be done through arthroscopy in lieu of more invasive procedures. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), arthroscopy is “a minimally invasive alternative to standard open surgical techniques and now the most commonly performed orthopedic surgical procedure… [arthroscopies] result in less postoperative swelling than open techniques and reduce pain risk of complications, and recovery times.”
While orthopedic surgery has been trending toward more minimally-invasive surgical techniques, not all orthopedic surgeons are experienced with the most up-to-date arthroscopic techniques.
Do you specialize in the shoulder surgery I need? How often do you perform this surgery?
These two questions go hand-in-hand. Many orthopedic surgeons specialize in one or more parts of the body (typically knees, shoulders, hips, spine and back, foot and ankle, and hand and wrist). Other orthopedic surgeons are more general in their practice.
It’s important to find a shoulder specialist who performs your surgery often. On average, surgeons who specialize in specific surgical procedures have better outcomes and fewer complications.
What complications have you encountered in other surgeries like mine?
Your shoulder surgeon should be willing and able to answer this question honestly and fully. Complications happen and you want a surgeon who is open and communicative about any and all risks.
Finally, get a second opinion. When it comes to finding the best shoulder surgeon for you and your injury, it’s okay to shop around until you’re completely comfortable and confident in your decision.
If you have any questions for our shoulder surgeons or questions about your injury, please do not hesitate to contact us.
32 Comments
Permalink
Hi my name is Amy I have a few questions that have yet to be answered by my dr and my Orthopaedic.. Can you please help me
Permalink
Hi Amy,
We are happy to try to answer any questions you have. It is difficult for us to give accurate medical advice without evaluating a patient first, but we will help in any way we can.
Permalink
I have distal lateral clavicle fracture from an unfortunate bicycle accident on Sunday 6-September-2020. Using the 4.5 cm from acromio-clavicular joint ligament insert guideline, as my distal clavicle fragment is about 1.6 cm (the superior/top-side) and 2.0 cm (the inferior/bottom side) in length, is it correct to determine that my fracture is lateral to the coraco-clavicular ligaments and that my medial clavicle fragment is stable? How significant is the displacement of my medial clavicle fragment? I would highly appreciate your suggestion for treatment. Thank you, Andi.
Permalink
Andi,
The stability of your fracture depends more on the displacement of the fracture, not necessarily the location. The displacement of the fracture in relation to the other fragments would help determine how significant it is. Viewing this information on x-ray will help determine if surgery is needed or not. I would recommend seeing an upper extremity orthopedic specialist to help you choose the best course of treatment. Hope this helps.
Permalink
Hi Andi. I had a similar accident with a near identical fracture as you described. I was recommended surgery by two places. My clavicle was going to get plated with either a hook or straight plate. However, during open inspection the surgeon found what you described. The coracoclavicular ligaments were intact. Given that the distal clavicle fragment was comminuted and especially small. The surgeon was not able to achieve good fixation. Because the fragment was about the same amount that would be removed during an open distal clavicle resection and that distal clavicle stability was observed. The surgeon opted to simply remove the fragment.
So I ended up with an open distal clavicle resection. I’ve been having regret with the outcome. My shoulder often hangs lower making the distal clavicle tent my skin. I now wish I would have traveled to find an even better credentialed surgeon than the well credentialed surgeon I had.
Permalink
:(( I’m looking at the same type of surgery soon
Chase, how much did this procedure cost you? (or was going to cost you for clavical plating)
much thanks !
Permalink
I am 36 years old. My muscles in the back of the left shoulder are going down. I saw this condition 22 days ago and shoulder pain around the last 2 & half months. I have consulted an orthopedic specialist & having medicine regularly. But no change.
In the meantime I did test MRI and x-ray. Now I am taking physiotherapy. Please suggest me, what I can do now?
Permalink
Sohel,
If the medicine recommended by your orthopedic surgeon is not helping I would recommend returning to them for further treatment. Ask them to review your MRI and x-ray results with you. It is difficult to recommend next steps without being able to review your medical records and do a proper evaluation. Your orthopedic specialist should be ale to provide next steps for you. Wishing you all the best!
Permalink
There are 3 Shoulder replacement specialists in our area.
2 of them have a fellowship in shoulders.
All 3 have a great reputation.
How might I choose “the best?”
It is hard to find many others who had the surgery to see how things went.
Permalink
Henry,
Great question!
There are a few things we recommend when searching for your doctor. First, if all doctors have a great reputation I usually look to their training and certification. Most of this should be available on their website. Are all 3 doctors board certified? Second, if you are unable to find a personal recommendation for any of the doctors, try reading online reviews! Although they are not a tell all, reviews usually help patients get a general understanding of other people’s experiences with the doctor. Lastly, go for a consultation. No matter what other people say and how much training is involved, it is important that you feel comfortable with your doctor. There is no harm in getting a consultation from multiple doctors to see where you feel most comfortable. Wishing you all the best!
Permalink
I need a shoulder replacement, how long would a surgery take and how long is the recovery I live in Hollywood Florida and who is the best surgeon for shoulder replacement
Permalink
Larry,
Surgery and recovery typically depends on the type of shoulder replacement, ie: total, partial, etc.
In general, shoulder replacement is a major operation, usually taking two to three hours, including time for anesthesia. Expect to spend a little time in the hospital after surgery. As for recovery, most people are able to resume daily activity/work with modified duty around 2-4 weeks, though keep in mind that many patients are unable to drive until around 6 weeks. Expect to not be able to return to more vigorous activities until around 6 months. Keep in mind that each person recovers at a different pace and recovery heavily relies on Physical Therapy. You’ll want to discuss all this information and time frames with an orthopedic surgeon in your area. Hope this helps!
Permalink
How can I find an experienced shoulder surgeon who is the best at bone graphs in Southern Ca? Thanks!
Permalink
Amy, Great question.
There are a couple ways we typically recommend searching for doctors.
1. Call your insurance provider and get a list of in-network providers in your area.
2. Then, Try looking at the doctor’s personal website. This can give you additional information on their training, experience, specialties, etc.
3. After you have narrowed it down, search these providers on Google, healthgrades, etc. Though reviews aren’t everything, they can give you an idea of other people’s experiences.
Another way we suggest is to get a couple recommendations from your Primary Care Physician, then follow steps 2 and 3 again.
We hope you find this helpful.
Permalink
Where are you located and yes I need to have shoulder surgery done the ball on my shoulder is above my cuff one surgeon said that I needed to have a total replacement done in my shoulder the other one said that I needed to have the tendons and ligaments cut and reattached to draw the shoulder back tight there is an MRI that can be seen at Cape Fear Hospital in Wilmington North Carolina
Permalink
I am 57 years old and been having severe shoulder pain for 2 years. I had an MRI and that showed that I have torn rotater cuff and bone spurs arthritis and fluid in my shoulders. They also did exrays and it showed that I have bone on bone . I went to 2 orthopedic surgeon and they told me that I need a total shoulder replacement but they said I’m to yung and that the replacement only last 15 years so they don’t want to do it. They want to give me cortisone shots for now. It does nothing for my pain. Any advise to what I should would be greatly appreciated. This has been going on for two years now.
Permalink
Judy,
There might be a few options to try before a total shoulder replacement. If cortisone injections aren’t giving you any relief, then you could consider the possibility of your surgeon attempting a rotator cuff repair since you mentioned that you have a rotator cuff tear. Any bursitis and bone spurring can also be removed at this time to help with pain relief. Of course this may be dependent on the quality of your rotator cuff tissue if your surgeon thinks it is repairable. There is also a procedure called a superior capsular reconstruction, where tissue is placed if the rotator cuff cannot be repaired. You would want to weigh the benefits of having surgery and what your goal as far as pain relief and shoulder function would be. I would recommend discussing this with your surgeon to determine the best treatment plan for you.
Permalink
Hello, THANK YOU for your very helpful article! I’m a very old senior and yesterday fell down on the street and went straight to an Urgency hospital. Through x-rays and a cat scan I found I have a fracture which they wrote as follows:
“IMPRESSION: Comminuted traumatic fracture involving the right humeral surgical neck and greater tuberosity.”
I Googled “comminuted” and “tuberosity” but it wasn’t clear to me. Is “humeral” the arm? I’m in the process of finding a shoulder specialist in NYC.
Anticipating my thanks for your reply. 🙂 Adela
Permalink
Adela,
The humerus is the long bone in your upper arm that extends from your elbow to your shoulder. The surgical neck of the humerus is commonly fractured by falling either directly on your arm, or onto your outstretched hand. I hope you found a great Orthopedic upper extremity specialist and we’re wishing you a quick recovery.
Permalink
Have a torn rotated cuff could you recommend a good orthpedic from my area? 43719 area code.
Permalink
Lanny,
There are a few steps we usually recommend to find the right doctor for you:
1. Call your insurance company and get a list of in-network providers
2. Google and/or search each provider – look for their credentials, training and board certification.
3. Search for reviews on the selected provider. Typically 4.0 stars or higher with 10+ reviews on platforms like Google. Other people’s experiences can guide your decision.
4. Lastly, make an appointment with your selected doctor to make sure they are a good fit for you.
Hopefully this helps!
Permalink
According to my friend MRI report, IMPRESSION:
BONY BANKART’S LESION WITH NON ENGAGING TYPE OF HILL SACH’S,
RIM RENT TEAR OF SUPRASPINATUS TENDON ANTERIORLY
AND ACCORDING TO MULTISLICE CT SCAN,
GLENOID CAVITY APPEARS SHALLOW WITH LOSS OF CONCAVITY WITH FLATTENED MARGINS.
Permalink
COULD YOU PLEASE SUGGEST BEST SOLUTION POSSIBLE FOR RIGHT-HAND SHOULDER REPAIR, AND SUGGEST BEST SURGEON FOR THIS.
Permalink
Hanu,
The best course of treatment will need to be determined after a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon. We are unable to provide medical advice without proper evaluation. As for the best surgeon – this depends on where you are located.
Here are some steps you can take to find an orthopedic surgeon in your area:
1. Call your insurance company and get a list of in-network providers
2. Google and/or search each provider – look for their credentials, training and board certification.
3. Search for reviews on the selected provider. Typically 4.0 stars or higher with 10+ reviews on platforms like Google. Other people’s experiences can guide your decision.
4. Lastly, make an appointment with your selected doctor to make sure they are a good fit for you.
If you are in the Salt Lake City, Park City, or Tooele Utah area, please give us a call @435-615-8822 to schedule a consultation. Hope this helps.
Permalink
So wish I would have found this article sooner….
I had shoulder surgery by a doctor that everyone said was very good.
I went in for 3 labreal tear repairs he stated it was a simple process and that I should be close to normal when it was done.
I came out of surgery no surgeon to be found anywhere the nurse hurried me from the hospital said they would be in touch as soon as they could.
2 weeks of me calling they finally told me the surgeon had been terminated and no longer worked in the state.
I should have stopped everything when he came in presurgical and marked the wrong shoulder but I didn’t I just wanted the pain to stop.
Now I find out I had 6 procedures done on my shoulder while I was under
I have a 4 inch scar on the front of my shoulder and 5-1.25″ scars all over my shoulder where he cut to “fix” my shoulder.
I had one appointment after the surgery with the hospital the surgeon that saw me just kept saying I would never have done this like he did but I don’t want to criticize another surgeon.
He did state I have lost my bicep tendon forever, 4 out of the 5 anchors he put in have failed and now I have less use of my shoulder than prior to the surgery.
All of my injuries were from Iraq on my last deployment.
I have 3 labreal tears that they have found (non were fixed during the surgery) c-4-5-6 in my neck with impingement, with numbness in arms and hands and shooting pains down my legs that never stops.
What I got from this surgery is a 35,000 dollar bill from the hospital for the surgery.
Tricare and the VA have refused to pay for the surgery because it was so badly botched so now they are coming after me for it.
They destroyed my credit and now I am out of work until I can find any surgeon that will fix this which so far is none because they all say they don’t want to clean up a mess made by someone who no longer is allowed to practice medicine in the state.
So all I can say is take your time do your homework and make sure you ask a lot of questions. Also make sure they have been with the current clinic of hospital for many years with many positive reviews.
Signed,
A now more disabled Vet…..
Permalink
My son’s career in basketball is really taking off and he got a college scholarship for it. I’m really proud of him so thanks for mentioning that I should look for sports medicine doctors or orthopedics that are experienced with newer and less invasive arthroscopic procedures. I hope he doesn’t get any serious injuries but if he does, I’ll be sure to contact the best doctors to treat him.
Permalink
Hi Claire,
We’re glad our article helped you make the best decision possible for your son’s medical care. We wish him a successful and injury free basketball career!
Permalink
Need r shoulder replacement. With optimum insurance. Can u help me find a dr in my area palm harbor?
Permalink
Hi Cassandra,
Looks like the clinic called Orthopedic Specialists comes highly recommended by it’s patients. The clinic has several orthopedic surgeons that could assist you with your shoulder issue. Their number is (727)201-1007. I would also suggest that you call the customer service number listed on your insurance card to make sure this facility accepts your insurance. If they do not, the insurance representative can assist you with finding another doctor in your area that does take your insurance. Best of luck with your surgery!
Permalink
Have experienced a rotator cuff tear. Both supraspinatus and infraspinatus torn… full width, full thickness tears. No dislocation, no arthritis, good cartlidge condition. As a 79 year old, what are my chances of a full recovery with an arthroscopic bio corkscrew anchor repair? Or is a reverse total shoulder replacement a better option? Thanks, Mike
Permalink
Hi
My daughter is a college water polo player. She has MDI multi directional instability with labral tears. Has already had an MRI and a cortisone shot, but is still in so much pain that she can’t play thru. Her identical twin sister was also a college water polo player and has had 2 surgeries to repair the capsules with anchors. She no longer plays. What can we do for the other daughter with the basic same stuff, (no surgeries done yet) also inflammation and bursa. No one seems to know what to do for MDI. Do you have any idea what we can do? Thank you
Permalink
MDI is often caused by an anatomical relationship between the glenohumeral head and the scapula’s glenoid fossa. Sometimes the glenoid fossa is so shallow that even with the labrum the glenoid head will still dislocate. The rotator cuff is the soft tissue (muscle and tendon) that provides shoulder stability. Outside of surgery, strengthening the rotator cuff provides the best preventive measure to dislocation. Limiting shoulder motion voluntarily or involuntarily with a brace can be tried too.