“I was in excruciating pain … At the ripe old age of 61, I knew I needed help,” Hassen writes in a 2-page letter to NorthShore’s CEO J.P. Gallagher. “I knew I needed to find an excellent surgeon to return my shoulder to its original condition, so I could have the best chance of maintaining my current active lifestyle. After researching my options, I discovered orthopedic surgeon Steven Levin.”
Carlos Rivera of Skokie has been a dedicated athlete his entire life. Baseball, basketball…you name it. But since he was a teenager, handball has been his real passion. Now, at age 70, Rivera remains a competitive player and still racks up victories over much younger athletes.
Lynne Creighton is a spirited, 5-foot-tall force to be reckoned with. At 64 years old, Creighton dances—both tap and ballet. She also runs, lifts weights, swims and plays golf. Friends thought she was unstoppable until severe arthritis pain in her shoulder wrecked her golf swing and perfect pirouette.
High-powered attorney by day and strongman by night, Brian Pozzi is always pushing himself to the next level. When he is not at work, you can find the 48-year-old flipping tractor tires in his backyard for sport.
Shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff injuries, are not just an issue for athletes. Steven Levin, MD, Sports Medicine at NorthShore, sees them in patients with a range of ages and experiences, and now provides his experience in treating these injuries and how new innovative procedures have changed the discussion:
Shoulder pain and injuries can have multiple causes, such as athletics, overuse, acute trauma and arthritis. Don’t ignore the pain. Playing through or waiting for the pain to subside could make the pain or injury worse and potentially result in long-term negative effects. Steven D. Levin, MD, Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Surgeon at NorthShore, answers questions on shoulder injuries, pain,and arthritis, including prevention, treatment and recovery. Submit your questions early.
Steven Levin, MD, Sports Medicine at NorthShore, has been a team physician with the US Rugby Team for ten years, acting as their head physician during the Rugby World Cup in France in 2007. He has travelled with the team all over Canada, England, Wales, France and now Japan. He shares what it’s like to care for these daring athletes at the top of their game during a recent tournament in Japan.
