Transforming Pain into Possibilities
The shoulder is one of the body’s most flexible joints, boasting an impressive, almost 360-degree range of motion. This remarkable mobility allows you to move your arms in virtually any direction. However, this freedom of movement comes at a cost—stability. As a result, the shoulder is susceptible to injuries and conditions that can lead to inflammation, tears, or arthritis, causing pain and limiting motion.
At FLEX Institute, we understand maintaining the health of your shoulders is crucial for enjoying an active lifestyle and ensuring overall well-being. The shoulder joint is integral to daily activities, from reaching and lifting to pushing and pulling. When shoulder pain arises, it can affect anyone, regardless of age or activity level, disrupting everyday tasks and diminishing your quality of life. Seeking specialized care is essential to restore function and alleviate discomfort.
Expertise You Can Trust
At FLEX, our team of highly qualified physicians brings years of experience and a commitment to innovative shoulder care. Our doctors are leaders in their field, dedicated to delivering personalized treatment plans tailored to meet your unique needs. Focusing on the latest advancements in shoulder care, we strive to provide exceptional outcomes for every patient.
Common Conditions Causing Shoulder Pain
Shoulder issues are surprisingly common and can significantly affect your daily life, from simple tasks to more strenuous activities. Understanding these problems is crucial, as it empowers you to seek the right treatment and avoid long-term complications. At FLEX Institute, we are committed to helping you navigate and overcome these challenges with expert care and attention.
- Rotator Cuff Tears: Often caused by wear and tear or injury, leading to pain and weakness.
- Bursitis and Tendonitis: Inflammation of the shoulder’s soft tissues, causing discomfort and reduced motion.
- Frozen Shoulder: Characterized by stiffness and pain, limiting the shoulder’s movement.
- Impingement: Occurs when shoulder bones pinch the tendons, causing pain and restricted movement.
- Dislocation: The shoulder slips out of place, which can result from injury or overuse.
- Fracture: Broken bones in the shoulder due to trauma or impact.
Comprehensive Treatment Options
Shoulder Arthroscopy
and Debridement
This minimally invasive procedure involves inserting a small camera into the shoulder joint to diagnose and treat various conditions. During debridement, damaged tissue is removed, promoting healing and improving joint function. Arthroscopy offers a quicker recovery time compared to open surgery, allowing patients to resume normal activities faster.
Rotator Cuff
Repair
Rotator cuff repair involves surgically mending torn tendons in the shoulder. This procedure aims to restore strength, stability, and function, reducing pain and preventing further damage. Performed arthroscopically or through open surgery, it enables patients to regain shoulder mobility, enhancing their quality of life and ability to perform daily tasks.
Labrum
Tear Repair
This procedure addresses tears in the labrum, a crucial cartilage ring stabilizing the shoulder. Reattaching the torn cartilage restores shoulder stability and reduces pain. Patients benefit from improved joint function, reduced risk of dislocation, and a return to active lifestyles post-recovery.
Biceps Tendon
Repair
This surgical treatment reattaches or repairs the biceps tendon, alleviating pain and restoring arm function. It’s often recommended for tears or instability in the tendon. Through precise surgical techniques, patients experience reduced discomfort and improved arm strength and mobility, enabling them to engage in daily activities more effectively.
Shoulder
Scope
A shoulder scope involves using an arthroscope to diagnose and treat shoulder issues. This technique provides a detailed view of the joint, helping in precise intervention for conditions like tears or impingements. It minimizes recovery time and scarring while offering accurate diagnosis and treatment, leading to better patient outcomes.
Total Shoulder
Replacement
This procedure replaces damaged shoulder joint surfaces with artificial components, easing pain from severe arthritis or injury. It aims to restore shoulder function and enhance quality of life. Patients often experience significant pain relief, improved joint movement, and the ability to resume daily activities with greater ease.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
Ideal for patients with severe rotator cuff tears or complex arthritis, this surgery reverses the joint’s mechanics, using different muscles for movement. It provides stability and pain relief when traditional replacements aren’t suitable. Patients typically see improved shoulder function and reduced discomfort, regaining independence in their daily lives.
Shoulder
Injections
Injections offer targeted relief by delivering medication directly into the shoulder joint or surrounding tissues. These treatments can reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and accelerate healing. We offer several types of injections, depending on your condition, including Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy and cortisone injections.
FLEX Shoulder Team
Michael Acurio, MD, has been a cornerstone of the FLEX Institute since 1996, earning recognition as a highly skilled and innovative leader in orthopedic care throughout the region. His journey to the medical field was driven by a lifelong aspiration to become a physician. Although he initially considered a career in ophthalmology during medical school, Dr. Acurio soon discovered his true passion for orthopedics while working alongside his future senior partner, Dr. Clint McAlister.
Dr. Acurio’s practice is uniquely diverse, encompassing three key areas: 1) hip and knee replacements, 2) upper extremity and hand procedures, and 3) general orthopedics. His comprehensive training has equipped him with the expertise to address a wide array of orthopedic conditions, a versatility he continues to embrace after nearly three decades in practice.
Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Acurio is a devoted family man, proud father and grandfather to five children and five grandchildren. He is actively involved in the Shreveport-Bossier City community, supporting the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, local youth athletics, and various charitable organizations. In his leisure time, he enjoys scuba diving, running, and creating cherished memories with his family.
Dr. Acurio provides patient consultations at the FLEX Institute in Bossier City, where he continues to deliver exceptional orthopedic care.
Read Dr. Acurio’s full bio here.
Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, J. David Googe, MD, grew up knowing he wanted to be a doctor. As a young, talented athlete, Dr. Googe was initially introduced to Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana as a patient. In the early 1990s, Googe was a captain and quarterback of Shreveport High School when he injured his knee. FLEX founding partner, David Waddell, MD, performed an ACL reconstruction.
Dealing with his sports-related injuries and his love of medicine led him down a path to an orthopedic residency at The University of Oklahoma and dual fellowships in sports medicine and total joint reconstruction.
“Most sports-related injuries /surgeries do not occur among young, high school athletes,” he said. “Most sports-related injuries/ surgeries occur in middle-aged people like me who think they are in high school and spend a lot of time playing sports and not enough time stretching and getting ready to play sports. We see everything from shoulder dislocations and ACL reconstructions in young athletes, to arthritic changes preventing the aging population from participating.”
Dr. Googe believes one of the advantages of treating patients in his community is being from the Ark-La-Tex area and having knowledge of the patients’ reference points. He also believes an open line of communication between patient and doctor is critical.
“If your bones are sticking out of your skin, I am happy to hear your thoughts, but you have to have surgery; otherwise, the rest of this is elective,” he said. “So, it becomes a question of how fearful you are of having a procedure versus how fearful you are of living without a procedure.”
Read Dr. Googe’s full bio here.
Shreveport’s own Val Irion, MD, joined FLEX Institute Shreveport in 2013. In addition to specializing in shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures and total joint replacement knee and shoulder, he is also fellowship-trained in cartilage restoration procedures.
Growing up, Dr. Irion gravitated towards being a physician, which was secondary to his love of sports.
“When I realized I probably wasn’t going to be a professional sports player—which is probably what I really wanted to be when I was really young—the easiest and best way for me to stay around sports and athletic endeavors was to be an orthopedic/sports medicine physician,” Dr. Irion said.
As a lifelong athlete himself, he recognizes the importance of a healthy and consistent activity level throughout life and is committed to helping his patients maintain and pursue these goals. He understands and empathizes with a patient’s frustration with not being able to maintain their desired level of activity due to an injury, wear and tear, pain, and arthritic changes.
“I get what that means; being unable to do what you want to do physically really impacts your lifestyle,” he said. “What I want to do is to get patients back to what they want to do, whether it be competitive sports or recreational activities.”
Dr. Irion is the medical director for Specialists Hospital Shreveport and works directly with the SHS teams to improve patient experience and achieve better outcomes.
Read Dr. Irion’s full bio here.
Andrew Patton, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement- Knee & Shoulder, Mako Smart Robotic Knee as well as general orthopedics at FLEX Institute in Shreveport/Bossier City.
“A lot of people think that because I specialize in sports medicine, I only treat athletes, but really anything can be a sport,” Dr. Patton said. “A big part of my job is to help patients of all ages and all activity levels maintain and restore their level of function—from a weekend warrior trying to get back to the gym, to an elderly patient who is looking to maintain their independence, to a young athlete who wants to get back onto the playing field.”
In keeping with his sub-specialty of Sports Medicine, Patton is a team player. He is on the same team as his patients, his physician partners, and his colleagues. He seeks opportunities to help… and strives to work with others to improve the team’s performance and viability.
Dr. Patton is known for leading with compassion, being a great listener, and his calm yet confident demeanor. Patients leave his clinic feeling like they have options and trusting they can get better.
Read Dr. Patton’s full bio here.
Jeffrey Pearson, MD, a proud native of Shreveport, Louisiana, joined the FLEX Institute in 2021, bringing his expertise and hometown spirit to the forefront of orthopedic care. Dr. Pearson completed his medical education at LSU Health-Shreveport, followed by an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He further honed his skills with a fellowship in hip and knee arthroplasty at the prestigious Southern Joint Replacement Institute in Nashville, Tennessee.
Inspired by his own experiences as a young athlete, Dr. Pearson developed a profound interest in orthopedics, particularly in total joint replacement. He is driven by the immediate and transformative impact these procedures have on patients’ lives.
“The dramatic improvement in a patient’s quality of life post-joint replacement is immensely rewarding, and being part of such transformative care is deeply satisfying,” he said.
Dr. Pearson places a strong emphasis on patient education, believing in empowering his patients with knowledge about their conditions and treatment options. His approach is centered on collaboration and informed decision-making, underlining the importance of patient autonomy in their healthcare journey.
“My role is to educate and guide patients, ensuring they understand their condition and the potential outcomes of surgery. The ultimate decision rests with them,” Dr. Pearson said.
Outside of his professional commitments, Dr. Pearson cherishes time with his wife, Laura, and their four children. Raised in Shreveport, both Dr. Pearson and Laura are active participants in their church and local community. An avid LSU football fan, Dr. Pearson enjoys Saturday night games and maintains an active lifestyle through jogging and cycling, staying fit to keep pace with both his family and his expanding medical practice.
Read Dr. Pearson’s full bio here.
For more insights into Dr. Pearson’s practice and philosophy, please visit: jeffreypearsonmd.com.
