The answer is NO. The vast majority of rotator cuff injuries can be treated without surgery if addressed in a timely manner.

The rotator cuff is a set of four tendons located in the shoulder that are responsible for providing mobility to it.

Rotator cuff injuries can be classified as partial or full-thickness tears. As the name suggests, partial tears still maintain integrity in some of their fibers, and in most cases, they can be treated conservatively (with anti-inflammatories, injections, and physical therapy). On the other hand, total tears involve a rupture that spans the entire thickness of the tendons. In these cases, arthroscopic repair is the best option.

The two main indications for joint replacement are: pain and loss of function.

Pain due to cartilage wear is very specific and incapacitating. It occurs when the cartilage has lost its properties, resulting in bone-on-bone friction that translates into intense pain. This pain is accompanied by a functional limitation of the joints (shoulder, hip, or knee), making it increasingly difficult to perform daily activities.

If you already have cartilage wear, and the pain is so severe that it affects your quality of life, you could be a candidate for joint replacement.

Joint replacement involves replacing a damaged joint with a new one. Joints connect two bones to provide freedom of movement to a limb. Over time, these joints can wear down, leading to pain and functional limitations.

Joint prostheses are mostly metallic implants, compatible with the human body, and have undergone the highest quality standards. Currently, we have shoulder prostheses, hip prostheses, and knee prostheses. These surgeries should be performed by a properly trained orthopedic surgeon specialized in joint replacement surgery.

Currently, we have durable biomaterials that reduce the coefficient of friction of prosthetic implants. Thanks to technological advances, these implants can last between 15-25 years. Once their useful life has been fulfilled, they can be replaced with new implants.

Menisci are fibrocartilaginous structures within the knee that are responsible for absorbing and distributing the load inside the knee joint. When we have a meniscus injury, these properties are lost, affecting the proper mechanics of the knee. These injuries can initially cause pain, and if left untreated, they can contribute to early knee wear. Fortunately, nowadays, we have minimally invasive surgical techniques in which we can repair the menisci through tiny incisions. This approach offers several benefits, including less pain, shorter hospital stays, lower infection rates, faster recovery, and a favorable aesthetic outcome.