Shoulder replacement: Reducing pain, restoring movement, returning you to daily life

Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. In this approach, the arthritic ball and socket are removed and replaced with a metal-and-plastic shoulder joint. Total shoulder replacement can be performed for osteoarthritis (the kind that develops due to wear and tear) or rheumatoid arthritis. You must have a normally functioning rotator cuff to have this surgery.

People who only have damage to one side of the joint may be candidates for this
approach, which replaces only the ball of the joint.

If your rotator cuff is torn beyond repair and accompanied by arthritis, this may be your best option. In this surgery, the ball and socket of the shoulder joint are reversed: A ball is attached where your shoulder socket normally sits, and a socket is fitted to the top of your upper arm bone. This allows you to use muscles other than the ones in the rotator cuff to move your arm.