Robert
I disagree with Maggie. I am living proof that damaged shoulder can be repair. In fact, my doctor tell me that the risk of injury is lower now than before I was injured because of the surgeries which gave me more space in my shoulders. In 1977 I tore the cartilage in my right shoulder playing football. I continued to play Football, Tennis and Softball for 5 years. When my doctor scoped it he found that my arm had been coming out of socket and worn away the cartilege that protects the bone. He tried an experimental surgical technique (at that time) which did not require staples. It worked and he became highly regarded in his field. In 1992 he repair my 3/4 rotator tear and in 1995 he repair my full tear in my left shoulder. Currently at age 42 I play tennis 3 to 4 times a week, Basketball, softball and volleyball once a week with no pain. Once in awhile I feel the hooks in my left shoulder, but the pain lasts for about 10 seconds and only occurs once or twice a month. In summary, the damage in my shoulders was severe, but a talented surgeon was able to repair it. My advice is the same, find two or three highly respected sports doctors, get an MRI done, and weigh your options. Also, remember reading your MRI results is not the same as reading an xray. My doctor who was handling the local pro football players only trusted a guy who was 2,000 miles away. In addition, I feel sorry for Debbie (previous e-mail) I have never heard of those side effect from rotator surgery. The only thing I have heard was that it was very painful. I would not know about the pain, because I have had 5 surguries and never took more than an aspirin at night in case I rolled on to my side. I will be more than happy to answer any more questions, please Email me.