Shoulder Arthritis

Osteoarthritis:This is the most common type of shoulder arthritis and is mainly caused by cartilage wear and tear. Damage to the cartilage causes direct contact between the bones, triggering pain deep in the shoulder, which is especially noticeable during movement.

Rheumatoid arthritis:This is an autoimmune disease that often affects both shoulder joints at the same time and is accompanied by neck pain.
As the immune system attacks the lining of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis often leads to inflammation, joint damage and limited movement.

Acromioclavicular Joint Arthritis (ACJ Arthritis): Pain is located over the outer end of the clavicle (top of the shoulder) and sometimes the pain radiates to the side of the neck. Most often associated with trauma, overuse or degenerative changes, acromioclavicular joint arthritis is an important cause of localised pain in the shoulder.

The incidence of shoulder arthritis varies among different groups of people, and the following groups of people are at high risk:

• Middle-aged and elderly people over 50 years old: age is a risk factor, the cartilage of the joint gradually wears out over time, increasing the chance of developing the disease.
• Manual workers: patients engaged in heavy lifting and manual jobs for much of their working life are at higher risk of developing shoulder arthritis.
• People with previous shoulder injuries: such as large rotator cuff tears, previous surgeries, shoulder fractures, joint dislocations or infections, these injuries can lead to long-term wear and tear of the joint, which can lead to shoulder arthritis.
• Young people with rheumatoid arthritis: this autoimmune disease accelerates the onset of shoulder arthritis.

Patients with shoulder arthritis may be considered for shoulder replacement when non-surgical treatments are not effective and patients report:

• Pain that regularly disturbs patient’s sleep and fails to improve with physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections
• Significantly reduced quality of daily life, with difficulty completing basic activities such as washing, dressing or driving
• Severe limitation of shoulder joint movement, often accompanied by significant weakness
• Imaging tests (e.g., X-rays, CT or MRI) showing advanced arthritis with bone-to-bone contact in the shoulder joint

When non-surgical treatments (e.g., medications, physical therapy, and injections) fail to relieve symptoms within 6 months, shoulder arthroplasty may become the optimal solution.

Shoulder replacement is an effective treatment option for relieving pain and restoring quality of life, especially for patients with advanced arthritis.

Dr Philip Markham will surgically remove the damaged portion of the joint and replace it with an artificial prosthesis, which will provide significant pain relief and improve shoulder function.

After surgery, patients can expect to return to normal activities after rehabilitating the shoulder with initial exercises and the prescribed use of a sling. Following Dr Markham’s recommendations for rehabilitation will help maximise shoulder strength and mobility and get you back on track.

What orthopaedic conditions are considered urgent and when can I get in to see Dr Markham?

• Every week, we keep a set number of urgent appointments open in our Gosford clinic – specifically to deal with worker injuries and urgent referrals
• These injuries are triaged on a needs basis and generally include acute knee and shoulder injuries, fractures, dislocations and ligament tears
• Whilst chronic arthritic conditions are painful, they are not usually triaged as urgent, however we will try to fit you in as soon as possible.
• Dr Markham specialises in hip, knee and shoulder conditions.