News Room  Press Releases
December 2006 (Second Release)
Contact: Melissa Chefec, MCPR Public Relations, 203-968-6625
For Immediate Release
Shoulder Surgery Helps Mature Tennis Players Stay on Court This Winter
Reverse procedure proves effective for rotator cuff injuries with arthritis
NY, NY and Greenwich, CT, December 2006 –As tennis continues indoors for the winter, so
does the risk for tennis related injury. Whether you play a casual game each Sunday morning or
compete for a league at a top level, sometimes the winning overhead smash and the service ace
can come with a price - a sore shoulder, a common occurrence among tennis players. According
to the National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2003
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, about 13.7 million people went to the doctor in 2003
for a shoulder problem.
"Don’t overlook a sore shoulder," advises Kevin Plancher, M.D., a leading NY-area orthopedist
and founder of the Orthopedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles (www.ofals.org) – a non-profit
organization dedicated to advancements in research and education for orthopedics and sports
medicine. “Pain could be the sign of a more serious injury, such as a torn rotator cuff.” Dr.
Plancher warns against playing through pain and recommends a visit to a doctor as soon as
possible before the condition worsens.
Shoulder injuries of varying degrees plague recreational as well as professional tennis players. A
shoulder injury forced Amelie Mauresmo to withdraw from the Zurich Open in the fall of 2006,
limiting her chance of becoming the top ranked WTA player of the year. "Tennis players at any
level can stress their shoulder by the repetitive motion demanded particularly by the serve and
the overhead," says Dr. Plancher.
Yet injured players, especially those without youth on their side, need not despair. With medical
advancements, treatments are now more successful in getting players back on the court. In the
past, mature players who suffered from a rotator cuff tear combined with arthritis would undergo
traditional shoulder replacement surgery. Yet the operation after left them with pain and very
limited motion. Now with a relatively new procedure called Reverse Total Shoulder, zealous
players can get back on the court pain-free and with motion. Total Reverse Shoulder was
approved for use in the United States in November 2004 and has been successful in Europe for
the past 20 years.
In a traditional shoulder replacement, an artificial socket is attached to the shoulder blade and a
corresponding ball is attached to the end of the upper arm bone, the humerus, explains Dr.
Plancher. This prosthesis is powered by the rotator cuff, a group of four muscles and tendons.
"In reverse total shoulder replacement, we shift the strength needed to move the arm from the
damaged rotator cuff to the stronger deltoid muscle that covers the shoulder joint," says Dr.
Plancher. For the reverse procedure, the ball is put on the shoulder blade and the socket is
placed at the end of the humerus. The shape of the shoulder often stays the same, and
movement is now restored. In one European study, most patients who had the procedure
reported pain-free movement afterward.
Before heading to the courts this winter, there are precautions players can take to help prevent
shoulder injuries. Dr. Plancher recommends a thorough warm-up to get the blood flowing before
playing, particularly if the tennis club or bubble is cold. Secondly, he advises using proper
technique since hitting the ball incorrectly can cause further stress on the shoulder and arm.
Finally, shoulder strengthening exercises, under the direction of a fitness trainer, can help in
keeping the muscles strong.
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