Although lesser known than hip or knee replacement surgery, shoulder replacement surgery can be just as successful in relieving chronic joint pain. A procedure called reverse shoulder joint replacement is used to treat patients with advanced shoulder pain by replacing the joint with an implant that reverses the ball and socket structure of the joint.

"Reverse shoulder replacement surgery can be very helpful in patients who suffer from chronic pain and weakness of the shoulder," said Dr. Kenneth Petersen, an orthopedic surgeon at Miami County Medical Center and Olathe Medical Center, with clinics in Paola and Louisburg. "Often those patients have suffered years of shoulder pain and re-injury, and in some cases, were told that nothing could be done to help them. Reverse shoulder replacement can help provide relief and enable them to return to activities they enjoy."

In a normal healthy shoulder, the upper arm bone (humerus) ends in a ball shape. This fits into a socket formed by the shoulder blade (scapula). Together this ball and socket form the shoulder. With the reverse shoulder replacement, the structure of the healthy shoulder is reversed. The implant is designed so that the ball portion is attached to the scapula and the socket is placed at the upper end of the humerus.

"After implanting the shoulder replacement, the stronger muscles in the shoulder help do the work of the joint as normally as possible," said Dr. Peterson. "By creating new mechanics in the shoulder, function can be returned, allowing patients to lead a more active lifestyle."

With the help of a home-based exercise program, patients who have reverse shoulder replacement surgery are able to return to daily activities with little or no pain.