Shoulder injuries are common, since the joint is used so much in daily life, and orthopedic surgeons have a variety of ways to treat such injuries, explains L. Ryan Smart, MD, a member of Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists and the Upstate Community Campus Orthopedics Group. He describes the structure of the shoulder and focuses on rotator cuff injury, a common problem that often strikes people who use their shoulders repeatedly, such as carpenters, weightlifters and tennis players. Rotator cuff injuries can often be resolved conservatively with drugs to combat the inflammation, and with surgery if that fails. Smart also touches on frozen shoulder, the role of age and family history, the surgical recovery period, shoulder replacement and new medications on the horizon.