Maryland’s Health Matters - St. Joseph - Spring 2017 - 9

gain back their strength and flexibility,"
says Dr. Codd. "My oldest patient is
a 93-year-old woman who belongs to
a flower guild and wanted to get back to
gardening. But for a lot of older patients,
it's all about the practical things of daily
living, such as reaching items on a shelf."
To perform shoulder replacement
surgery, "we cut away the diseased bone
and affix the new ball and socket with
cement or a bolt. In the operating room,
we custom fit the replacement to the size
of the patient's shoulder joint," Dr. Codd
says. The replacements, made of chrome
and titanium, come in various sizes.

FROM SLING TO SWING
Most patients spend one night in the
hospital and go home the next day.
They wear a protective sling for six weeks.
"Patients start using their arm right away
to do everyday things like cut their food.
Then in two weeks, they begin aggressive therapy. In about six weeks, they
start feeling very good. Complete
recovery takes approximately
Ten weeks
after surgery,
Bill Williamson was
back to lifting weights;
inset: Timothy Codd, MD

six months. Shoulder replacement turns back the clock.
People can enjoy things
they haven't done in 10 or
more years. I have patients
who golf and play tennis,"
Dr. Codd says.
"I highly recommend
finding the right surgeon like

enough that Dr. Codd advised him it
was time for shoulder replacement.

TRAINING WITH
THE INVENTOR OF
SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

I did with Dr. Codd," Williamson says.
"Towson Orthopaedic Associates has
great surgeons. He customized my
care so it was right for me. Everything
went perfectly."
Ten weeks after surgery, Williamson

Dr. Codd, who has performed hundreds

was back to playing golf and lifting

of shoulder replacement surgeries over

weights, pain-free. 

the past two decades, originally trained
with the surgeon who invented shoulder
replacement, Dr. Charles Neer.
"Shoulder replacement technology has
gotten so much better in recent years
that patients not only get pain relief, but

LEARN MORE
For more information
about joint replacements,
visit jointEDU.com.

DON'T SHOULDER
THIS ON YOUR OWN
The rotator cuff is the tendon that
holds the ball and socket of the
shoulder joint together, and
a rotator cuff tear is one of the
most common shoulder injuries.
"The tear can occur from a fall
or trauma, but more frequently
develops slowly from overhead
activities, such as racquet sports,
pitching, swimming, volleyball or
overhead weightlifting. It can also be
due to a job that involves lifting or
can just happen from everyday use,"
says board-certified
orthopaedic surgeon
Bruce Wolock, MD, of
Towson Orthopaedic
Associates, who has
27 years of experience repairing rotator
cuffs. "It takes years
Bruce
for a rotator cuff tear
Wolock, MD
to develop, so we usually see patients with this injury
in their 40s through 70s."
However, he cautions not to wait
to see a surgeon until the pain is
severe. Rotator cuff tears can enlarge
over time, and some major tears may
not be repairable. It's best to consult
a doctor when symptoms develop.
Symptoms include:
■ Pain in the shoulder area
or side of the arm
■ Pain that worsens at night
■ Difficulty reaching overhead or
behind your back
■ Arm weakness or stiffness
Most rotator cuffs can be
repaired using minimally invasive
arthroscopic surgery, which only
requires three to five tiny incisions.
"We use tiny surgical instruments to
repair the tear," Dr. Wolock says.
"Patients go home that day wearing
a sling, and I start them on an exercise
program at home for the first month.
Then they go to physical therapy
for two to four months. Patients can
regain excellent range of motion,
muscle strength and flexibility."

stjosephtowson.com | Spring 2017  9
http://www.jointEDU.com http://www.stjosephtowson.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - St. Joseph - Spring 2017
