Jacksonville’s Leader in Shoulder Care & Treatment

You like to work out and stay active, but sometimes shoulder pain gets in the way. How are you supposed to know when it is time to see a doctor? There are 5 shoulder symptoms that the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute has identified that you shouldn’t ignore. If you are experiencing any of the following 5 symptoms, you should have an orthopedic consultation:

1.  Clicking or popping in the shoulder joint

2.  Persistent shoulder pain that intensifies with use

3.  Pain that keeps you from sleeping or awakens you

4.  Stiffness and/or the inability to raise your arm above your head

5.  Numbness, tingling or burning sensation

The key to the treatment of shoulder injuries is early intervention.  Oftentimes, patients wait too long to get evaluated for their condition and the injury progresses quickly. If caught early enough, shoulder pain may be treated with physical therapy, pain management, and exercise.

Jacksonville’s Leader in Shoulder Treatment

Shoulder Pain Treatment

The experts at the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute (JOI) specialize in all of types of shoulder conditions and can help you get on the road to recovery.  We have orthopedic physicians who specialize in shoulder diagnosis and treatment at all five of our clinical locations. Our physicians have years of experience and the latest diagnostic technology to diagnose the condition causing your shoulder pain. Once the condition is identified, your physician will develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Treatments can include physical or occupational therapy, home exercise programs, postural awareness, injections and pain management, medications, laser treatment, acupuncture and surgical intervention.

What is unique about JOI is our team approach. Our physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and massage therapists all work together to provide you with the best care possible. JOI has shoulder-specific treatment protocols for shoulder conditions to provide the best outcomes. Conservative treatments may include decreasing pain and inflammation, strengthening the surrounding muscles, increasing shoulder range of motion and improving overall function.

Understanding Your Shoulder

The shoulder is a very unique joint and is one of the most frequently injured joints of the body.  A contributing factor to this is the fact that the shoulder has three planes of motion to provide a high level of function. This degree of mobility creates a larger potential for injury.

The main joint of the shoulder is the ball and socket shaped joint called the gleno-humeral joint.  The ball is the head of the humerus which sits in the socket or the glenoid.  The shoulder cartilage, known as the glenoid labrum, assists in keeping the humerus within the glenoid.  The musculature and the ligaments of the shoulder provide motion and stability to the joint.

The rotator cuff muscles are the main group of muscles in the shoulder joint.  These four muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and the teres minor.  The rotator cuff can be vulnerable to overuse and strains due to their dynamic actions. Other joints within the shoulder are the sterno-clavicular, the acromio-clavicular and the scapula-thoracic joints.  Any injuries or conditions to the musculature or ligaments of the entire shoulder complex can dramatically affect the function of the shoulder.

The 5 shoulder symptoms can have possible indications for various shoulder pathology or other serious medical conditions, such as:

Shoulder pain could indicate other serious medical conditions, so it is important to get advice form a skilled physician. 

The JOI team believes in a full continuum of care for the treatment of the shoulder joint.  This involves preparing our patients for a full return to their prior level of activities. For our athletes, our trained professionals will use protocols for a safe return to their sport.  Our clinicians also use the Dartfish video analysis program to correct any bio-mechanical errors which might have contributed to the original injury. For our other patients, our clinicians will develop a program to gradually return them to normal activities.

To learn more about Direct Access to Physical Therapy without seeing an MD, please read this ARTICLE.

If you have any of the above 5 shoulder symptoms, early medical intervention can make a big difference in your recovery. The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute will provide the highest level of expertise to help you return to your normal, active lifestyle.

New Patient Appointment Line: 904-564-2000, Fax: 904-996-9412 or schedule online.

To schedule follow-up appointments or cancel and reschedule appointments, please go to the Patient Portal.