Shoulder Resurfacing Procedure Gets David Back into Action
A life-long athlete, David played high school football and baseball, which led to multiple shoulder injuries, including several dislocations and a torn labrum that resulted in surgery in 1996 and again in 2012.
“Decades later, these past injuries reared their ugly head when I got into tennis with my youngest son about three or four years ago,” he said.
Frustrated by the pain and stiffness that made playing tennis increasingly difficult, he consulted with orthopaedic surgeons in his hometown of Erie, Pa., as well as Pittsburgh and Cleveland, which included Crystal Clinic’s Salvatore Frangiamore, M.D.
David decided to have a shoulder resurfacing procedure with Dr. Frangiamore, an alternative to a traditional shoulder replacement, which would allow him to maintain a high level of activity and continue playing tennis with his son. He had the surgery in December 2024 and marvels at how quickly and fully he has recovered.
“I expected it would take 9 to 12 months before I was able to play tennis or work out at the gym, but Dr. Frangiamore cleared me to return after only about four months,” said David, who continues to participate in physical therapy to improve his overhead range of motion, particularly his tennis serve. “Because of my previous injuries, my serve was already somewhat limited, so being able to increase my range of motion overhead will definitely be the cherry on top.”
Along with playing tennis at a high level, David is back to working out and weightlifting at his local gym. He also enjoys fishing off his boat in Lake Erie, and recently went on a fishing trip to Alaska for a friend’s 50th birthday to catch salmon and halibut.
“It was great that I was able to reel in the big fish without any issues,” said David who, thanks to Dr. Frangiamore and a shoulder replacement without limits, is once again able to enjoy an active lifestyle with family and friends.
