The pain in Stamford resident Arleene Ferko’s right shoulder had worsened so much that even simple activities like brushing her hair and steering her car were difficult. The retired Greenwich (CT) High School science teacher turned to one of her favorite former AP Biology students, HSS sports medicine surgeon Dr. Samuel Taylor, a specialist in shoulder and knee. X-rays showed that the humeral head in Arleene’s shoulder had flattened from arthritis and wear and tear. Dr. Taylor determined Arleene needed a total reverse shoulder replacement. Her teaching background and science know-how helped her ask the right questions to understand the procedure and her recovery. Dr. Taylor performed shoulder replacement surgery in Stamford at HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health. After three months of physical therapy at HSS Rehab at Tully Health Center, Arleene is back to walking, taking the stairs, even tossing a ball overhand to her grandson. “I’ve always believed that it’s easier to keep well than to get well,” she explained. “The quality of care that HSS provided was fantastic, the entire experience was seamless.”
"I know too many friends and former colleagues who would benefit from orthopedic surgery but they believe that it wouldn't help, that the rehab would be too difficult, or that they are too old to undergo the surgery," she continued. "They continue to decrease their physical activity due to pain and limited range of motion and as a result they also decrease their in-person social contacts which in turn affects their psychological well-being. It's difficult to watch friends and relatives decline physically when there are proven remedies available."
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