Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery Helped Treat Carolyn’s Shoulder Arthritis

Carolyn Whorton assumed that the progressive pain and loss of function she was experiencing with her left shoulder was merely “a part of getting older”. Sleeping comfortably became more difficult and she experienced increased “clicking and popping” of her shoulder. It wasn’t until the pain became unrelenting that she decided to make an appointment with a doctor to try and obtain some relief. Unfortunately, the conservative course of treatment attempted to help Mrs. Whorton was not enough. At this point, she was referred to Bruce Steinberg, M.D. Upon examination and testing, Dr. Steinberg diagnosed Mrs. Whorton with arthritis of the glenohumeral joint and informed her that she was a candidate for a left shoulder total joint replacement. Understanding Mrs. Whorton’s apprehension, Dr. Steinberg supplied her with patient references who gladly shared their experiences.

“I can’t say enough positive about Dr. Steinberg. When I began considering the surgery, he explained everything very thoroughly. I could ask any question and never felt rushed. He wanted me to be as comfortable about my surgery as possible, even providing me names of other patients who had undergone the same operation. It helped me to be prepared and to understand that I also had responsibility for my recovery, which would mean committing to physical therapy.”

Mrs. Whorton underwent a total replacement of the left shoulder. Following her surgery, when advised by Dr. Steinberg, she undertook a rigorous course of physical therapy, appreciating that her participation was critical in a total recovery. Mrs. Whorton says that the physical therapy she received from the JOI Rehabilitation Department was exceptional. Not only did she obtain excellent results but she never minded the time. “The therapists made me feel like family, like I was at home. There was always a lot of laughing and joking so I never dreaded my therapy sessions.”

When diagnosing Mrs. Whorton’s left shoulder problem, Dr. Steinberg informed her that, regrettably, at some point, she would also require similar treatment of her right shoulder. It wasn’t long after her initial surgery that the pain and loss of function escalated in her right shoulder. Because she is right-handed, simple activities like combing her hair or reaching for a glass out of the pantry became a problem. Mrs. Whorton laughingly recalls that prior to her right shoulder surgery, she went to the extent of moving her dishes to the floor because it was too difficult to lift her arm enough to reach what she needed from kitchen cabinets for meal preparation. “You don’t realize how performing even the simplest of tasks can impact your lifestyle, or how constant pain impacts your quality of life. “

Mrs. Whorton underwent a right shoulder total replacement almost a year to the day after her left shoulder surgery. Due to the success of both of her operations and her hard work in physical therapy, Mrs. Whorton can now raise her arms to reach whatever she desires, exercise, and sleep comfortably. Most importantly, she no longer has pain.

“My husband and I have watched Jacksonville grow over the course of many years. Institutions like JOI and caregivers like Dr. Steinberg are what make our medical community strong. I am eternally grateful for the care I received from Dr. Steinberg and others at JOI. I am happy to recommend him to anyone.”