Treatments
Shoulder
Shoulder pain, stiffness, rotator cuff tears and instability.
Shoulder pain that stops you sleeping on that side, or an arm you cannot lift above shoulder height, usually points to the rotator cuff. Stiffness and instability are treated here too.
Procedures Dr Moagi performs
- Rotator cuff repair
- Shoulder replacement
- Shoulder arthroscopy
Deciding on surgery
Surgery is not always the answer
Being honest about when an operation helps, and when it does not, is part of the consultation.
When surgery is usually right
- A rotator cuff tear confirmed on scan, with weakness that is not recovering
- Repeated dislocations that make the shoulder unreliable
- Arthritis of the shoulder with constant pain
When it usually is not
- Impingement pain that responds to physiotherapy and an injection
- Frozen shoulder, which usually recovers with time and stretching
- Small tears in shoulders that still function well
Recovery
What recovery looks like
- A sling for the first weeks after a cuff repair, to protect the repair
- Passive movement early, active strengthening later, on the physiotherapist's programme
- Full recovery after cuff repair is measured in months
These are general timelines. Your own recovery depends on your age, your general health and the specific problem being treated. Dr Moagi will give you your own plan.
Related
Shoulder conditions explained
Ready to have your shoulder looked at?
Request a consultation and the practice will contact you, usually within one working day.
Book a ConsultationIf you need help now
Outside consulting hours, report to the Casualty Department at Netcare Ferncrest Hospital or Life Peglerae Hospital in Rustenburg. If the injury is life-threatening, call 10177 immediately. Please do not use the enquiry form for an emergency.