Shoulder pain can affect people of all ages, especially those with injuries, medical problems, or wear and tear from aging.
In many cases, non-surgical treatments like physical therapy or joint injections help reduce pain and improve movement.
But when the damage to the shoulder is too severe, traditional surgery might not work or might not be enough.
Thankfully, new treatments are now available for advanced shoulder problems. One promising method is the use of a balloon spacer.
When a rotator cuff tear is so bad that it cannot be fixed, a surgeon can insert a small balloon into the shoulder joint using a tiny camera and special tools.
Once inside, the balloon is filled with saltwater and helps support the shoulder by acting like a cushion. It stays in place for 6 to 12 months before safely dissolving. Another option is using a special patch made from donated tissue to cover the damaged area and provide similar support.
After these surgeries, physical therapy helps patients learn how to move their shoulder again with better control. Because tendons aren’t being repaired, healing is often quicker than traditional rotator cuff surgery.
For more serious conditions like arthritis or full rotator cuff tears, reverse shoulder replacement is sometimes needed. This surgery uses implants to change how the shoulder moves so other muscles can help with motion. To make the implant fit better, doctors now use 3D printing.
Before surgery, a scan of the shoulder is taken and turned into a 3D model. This helps the surgeon plan where to place the implant and how to save as much bone as possible. A 3D-printed guide is created and used during surgery to make sure the implant is placed exactly as planned.
In some special cases, a regular implant doesn’t fit well because the shoulder bones are damaged or shaped differently. When this happens, a custom implant is made using the same 3D model process, but designed just for that person. Although this is not common now, it may become more common in the future.
Robotic surgery is another new technique starting to be used in shoulder operations. While robots have been used in hip and knee replacements for years, they are just beginning to help with shoulder surgeries.
During the operation, the robot helps shape the shoulder socket and place the implant perfectly. This can lead to better results and fewer problems after surgery.
In addition to these surgical options, new treatments using the body’s own cells are also being explored. These are called orthobiologics. They include stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Stem cells can develop into new tissue, and PRP contains natural healing ingredients from a person’s blood.
These treatments are injected into the shoulder to reduce pain and possibly improve healing. They may help with arthritis pain, tendon problems, or after surgery. But they won’t grow back cartilage or tendons and are not a cure.
While stem cell and PRP therapies are exciting, they are still considered experimental. More research is needed to know exactly how well they work. Also, most insurance companies don’t cover them yet, and the treatments can be expensive.
Overall, there are now many new ways to treat severe shoulder problems. From balloon implants and tissue patches to 3D-printed parts and robotic tools, these new methods offer hope to people who once had few options. And with ongoing research into biological treatments, the future of shoulder care looks even brighter.
If you care about arthritis, please read studies about extra virgin olive oil for arthritis, and pomegranate: A natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
For more information about arthritis, please see recent studies about how to live pain-free with arthritis, and results showing medical cannabis may help reduce arthritis pain, back pain.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
