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What Are The Different Types Of Shoulder injuries?

Earlier I wrote about different kinds of shoulder injuries that are frequently seen in workers’ comp cases. This week I am writing about the types of treatment available for shoulder injuries and what this means for workers’ comp clients. Generally, treatment falls into three main categories:

  1. Activity changes
  2. Medications and
  3. Surgery

Activity Changes And Exercise

This is the least invasive form of treatment. It usually consists of rest, changing or restricting activities and physical therapy. A doctor may recommend using a sling to keep the shoulder in place.

It may also include home remedies such as using heat or ice packs. The immediate usual first treatment is called RICE, meaning:

  • REST the shoulder for 48 hours.
  • ICE the injured area for 20 minutes, four to eight times per day.
  • COMPRESSION, putting even pressure on the painful area to help reduce the swelling. A wrap or bandage will help hold the shoulder in place. And
  • ELEVATION, keep the injured area above the level of the heart.

Medication

Medication can range from over the counter pain relievers to prescribed pain relievers in pill form to injections of numbing medicines or steroids to relieve pain.

Surgery

In extreme cases, surgery may be needed. Arthroscopy is used to remove scar tissue or repair torn tissues. For shoulder dislocations, a doctor performs a procedure that pushes the ball of the upper arm back into the socket. Other procedures are used for larger reconstructions or shoulder replacement.

Recurring dislocations and some rotator cuff tears may not benefit from exercise, and, surgery may be recommended early in treatment. Most other times, surgery is only recommended after other types of treatment fail.

Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure where a small camera is inserted into the shoulder. The surgeon uses the images to guide miniature surgical instruments to do things such as release adhesions and repair tissue that has been torn or is causing arthritis symptoms, to suture anchors to repair torn tissue, or to repair or replace tendons.

Arthroplasty is a shoulder joint replacement procedure where the arthritic parts of the shoulder are removed and the ball-and-socket joint is replaced with a prosthesis. For rotator cuff repairs, a surgeon may stitch the torn edges of the muscle or tendon back together or re-connect the tendon back to the ball of the humerus. Other types of surgical treatments for rotator cuffs are:

  • Debridement, which removes loose fragments of tendon or damaged bone or cartilage that may be lodged in the joint. Or
  • Acromioplasty, which removes some of the bone underneath the shoulder blade or some of the ligaments between the bones in the shoulder joint to give the tendon more room to move the arm freely.

Even after surgery, an injured worker may need physical therapy, medication and other treatment for short or long-term pain. The employee may still have restricted range of motion and loss of full use of the shoulder. That is why it is important not to settle a workers’ comp shoulder injury claim too soon. It is best to make sure there is not some sort of permanent disability after all treatment options have been fully tried and what permanent restrictions and limitations the injured employee has from the shoulder injury.

Even if you have a temporary disability from the work injury, it is best to let a qualified and experienced workers’ comp attorney help you evaluate your claim. I am available to consult with you about your injury. Please call or use my website to make an appointment for a free initial consultation.

Mark L Chipokas, P.C.
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Priscilla
Priscilla
18:56 04 May 23
Mark and Polly were fantastic! They are true professionals and genuinely care about the well being of their clients. I... could not have had a better law firm represent me.read more
Becky Sue
Becky Sue
15:41 08 Mar 23
I would highly recommend Mark and his team to represent you. They are personable, quick to respond, very knowledgeable,... and there to help you in anyway they can. I'd give them 10 stars if possible! lt was such a relief to have them have my back through my difficult case and get me the help I needed! I am so glad I found them online and gave them a call! Thank you so much Mark and Polly!!read more
Jason Sills
Jason Sills
20:30 15 Feb 23
Mark and his team should be anybody’s first option when dealing with a work injury. My work comp claim was denied and I... was at a loss at what todo until I hired Mark for my case. He not only turned a denied claim into a settlement, he made sure I came out on top and got everything I deserved; all while providing a very comfortable process! 10/10 recommendation.read more
Hannah Weber
Hannah Weber
21:54 04 Feb 23
Before deciding on whose expertise I could trust, I thoroughly read over reviews for this area. I can now attest that... Mark and Polly, among several other moving parts, demonstrate prime examples of teamwork to have successfully helped me and my family.Their strong abilities to multitask while simultaneously allowing us to feel deeply valued speaks volumes of their character and intent. Everyone promptly responds with effective listening, communication and, above all, genuine interest throughout the entire process. When considering who to go to, look no further than Chipokas Law!read more
Steve Terwilliger
Steve Terwilliger
22:44 28 Aug 22
My brother was referred to Mark by someone knowledgeable in the Workers Comp (W/C) field. Little did he know he was... going to get the whole family as clients. Mark, Polly and Angela were responsive to our MANY inquiries, always trying to educate all of us about the W/C process while keeping us realistic about our choices and expectations. Bottom line, the results were better than we probably had a right to expect and certainly Mark’s focused efforts played a major part in that.read more
Karla Pearson
Karla Pearson
19:30 25 Jul 22
Mark always responds in a timely fashion and with integrity. I would highly recommend him.
Michelle McGrew
Michelle McGrew
16:34 04 Jul 22
Mark is a lawyer that truly cares about his clients and will go the distance to get them what they deserve. Our family... can’t thank him enough for the dedication he put into our case.read more
Jerry Tucker
Jerry Tucker
19:00 05 Apr 22
If you're dealing with work comp then you need the best and trust me, Mark is the best!!!! This has been a very long... and traumatic journey for me. A huge thanks to Mark and his team, who have been there every step of the way. They dealt with the work comp insurance company and lawyer, got me the correct and best doctors that I needed for the best possible outcome from my injury. And now, it has finally come to an end so I can get on with my life again and I truly came out smelling like a rose thanks to Mark, Pauly and Angela. Hands down they are the best!!!!read more
Bob Austin
Bob Austin
15:52 26 Mar 22
MARK IS A GREAT PERSON AND DOES A GREAT JOB FOR YOU. HE IS HONEST AND STRAIGHT FORWARD. HE DOES HIS VERY BEST FOR YOU... AND HELPS YOU ALONG THE WAY.read more
Nina Slaikeu
Nina Slaikeu
17:48 21 Mar 22
The performance and service was beyond a 5 star rating. The staff in the office are honest and helpful. Mark explained... things thoroughly and worked very hard to ensure I was happy with the end result! I highly recommend Mark Chipokas.read more
jerry maylone
jerry maylone
21:49 23 Feb 22
A big thank you to Mark, Polly and Angela for helping me navigate through my work comp case. I would recommend Mark and... his team to anyone that has a work comp case. Again I just want to say thank you.read more
Wendy Ransford
Wendy Ransford
21:48 01 Feb 22
Thank you seems so inadequate for the hard work Mark did for me. The whole staff “has your back” They treat you like... you would want your family treated. Five star recommendation to potential clients. Wendy Ransfordread more
Amanda Burgin
Amanda Burgin
00:31 11 Jan 22
Mark and his valued team go above and beyond during our time working with them. Beyond recommend his legal services.
Teresa Cleppe
Teresa Cleppe
00:54 21 Oct 21
Mark was very helpful in getting my husbands workman's comp case settled. He was informative about our options, worked... with us on our choices of what WE wanted and kept us informed with all correspondence from the insurance company. We are happy with the end results and would defiantly use him again if the need should ever arise.read more
Dawn Spencer
Dawn Spencer
01:52 06 Oct 21
Mark and his entire team are very professional and great to work with. Very pleased with the results. Would recommend... Mark's service to everyone.read more
Jay Jay
Jay Jay
11:54 17 Sep 21
The best in the business....this attorney is a fighter.
Tamra Waldow
Tamra Waldow
17:36 23 Aug 21
I shall be honest. I have a very hard time in trusting in any system. I needed help, came upon Mark in google. Met... with him and his team, ( they are a team),listened to what he had to say. There was good and rough times to the end as he stated there would be. He and his wonderful team helped me through with their support, returning calls, by email, by mail by being there. We made it through and I couldn’t be more pleased with TheTeam, in the final results or their performance through the whole process. Trust is hard thing to give.However I would, if ever I needed his service again not hesitate to call upon.read more
Kathy Miller
Kathy Miller
16:31 19 Apr 21
The entire staff treated us with the respect, kindness and consideration throughout our process. We were impressed with... the communication and responsiveness to our questions and concerns. In conclusion we were very comfortable with the end results of our experience. We would recommend Mark Chipokas Law firm.read more
Melissa Barber
Melissa Barber
23:37 04 Mar 21
My husband needed a professional dedicated Workman's Compensation Attorney. When I found Mark Chipokas and his team of... fully experienced legal experts, we knew that they would be standing strong for him. Their professional advice and dedication from all members made us know that we had made the best decision right from the start. 100% Goal was acheive!! Thank you Mark, Polly & Angela for all you have done.read more
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence
16:18 10 Feb 21
Highly recommend! Mark is not only professional, he is personable and takes the time to know his clients. We always... felt that our concerns were valued and that Mark had our best interests at heart.Additionally, we always knew how our case was progressing and were encouraged to ask questions about the legal process. In a world where most people are out for themselves, it’s good to know there are still people like Mark Chipokas out there who are ethical and fighting for the right reasons.read more
Tricia McAtee
Tricia McAtee
17:47 04 Feb 21
I highly recommend Mark. I went to Mark when my workers comp issue ran into to problems. He was able to help me get... things resolved.He has a awesome team in Angela and Polly!read more
Andrea Baker
Andrea Baker
10:14 05 Sep 20
After being injured on my job and following their every step through physical therapy and still not having the end... results I needed. I contacted Mark and after my meeting with him and his very concerned and gracious team I felt that making Mark my lawyer was going to be the best for me to get the help I needed. It took 1 year of frustration to get my work company to get me the care I deserved. If it wasn't for him and his team fighting for what was right I would have never been able to get the surgery done. I appreciate him and his staff for listening to me when I emailed, called or even stopped in.read more
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson
01:20 10 Jul 20
Mark, Polly and Angela have been there for my husband and I from day one. They have been by my side through every... twist and turn in the alternate universe known as worker’s compensation law. Mark has always been readily available on the phone and in person if I had any questions or concerns.Mark has truly been a God send and I don’t believe I would have had the same outcomes without him. When I thought I had no fight left he was there to fight for me. Because of that fight Mark was able to get me a settlement that has truly been life changing for my family.read more
Hans Cordes
Hans Cordes
22:47 30 Jun 20
Mark and his team did an amazing job for me, I'm out of state with a time change and Mark ,Angela and Polly all worked... hard at staying in touch with me and keeping me informed every step of the way, I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to help me out. Thanks Mark and all your great teamread more
Joe Larue
Joe Larue
01:42 18 May 20
Everyone at the office was pleasant to work with. They all listened, and were great at getting back to me in a timely... manner. Mark worked hard for me and for what he believed was right and fair. I would and will recommend him to anyone who need a amazing attorney.read more
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