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What is shoulder osteoarthritis?
Omarthrosis is a degenerative disease of the shoulder joint in which the cartilage covering the humeral head and the glenoid cavity of the scapula is destroyed. It leads to chronic pain, limited mobility, and reduced quality of life.
Omarthrosis occurs less frequently than knee or hip osteoarthritis, but significantly restricts daily activities — inability to dress, comb hair, or work.
Causes:
- Primary — age-related degeneration (after 60 years)
- Post-traumatic — after fractures, dislocations
- Cuff arthropathy — osteoarthritis after massive rotator cuff tear
- Post-surgical — after shoulder surgeries
- Avascular necrosis — impaired blood supply to the humeral head
Symptoms:
- Deep pain in the shoulder joint
- Limited mobility — raising the arm, reaching behind the back
- Crepitation (crunching) during movement
- Morning stiffness
- Night pain, sleep disturbance
Facts about omarthrosis
- ICD-10: M19.01
- Age: most common after 60 years
- Gender: slightly more common in women
- Shoulder replacement:25 000+/year (Germany)
- Problem: shoulder prosthesis is more complex and less durable than knee/hip
Shoulder osteoarthritis (omarthrosis): treatment options and what is known about them
The treatment plan is made by the clinic doctor after an examination and a review of your images. The table shows the options usually discussed for this diagnosis and how well they have been studied.
| Option | What to expect | How well studied |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise therapy and physiotherapy | Reduces pain, strengthens muscles, improves function; the basis of treatment | Well studied, recommended |
| Painkillers and NSAIDs | Ease pain during flare-ups; long-term use is limited by side effects | Moderate evidence |
| Corticosteroid injection | Quickly reduces inflammation and pain, the effect is often temporary; frequent injections are undesirable | Moderate evidence |
| Hyaluronic acid | Reduces pain for a few months in some patients | Limited or conflicting evidence |
| PRP / CGF | Concentrate from your own blood; may reduce pain, growth of new tissue has not been shown | Limited or conflicting evidence |
| BMAC / MFAT | Cell preparations from bone marrow or fat; more expensive, no proven advantage over PRP | Little data |
| Shoulder replacement | If conservative treatment does not help or there is an indication | When indicated — the doctor decides |
We send your request to several partner clinics. Some will suggest conservative treatment or injections, others surgery; each clinic quotes its own conditions and price. We help you compare the options.
Regenerative methods: realistic expectations
In osteoarthritis, regenerative injections can reduce pain and improve function for a period of several months to a year. PRP in knee osteoarthritis is the best studied: in a number of trials it reduced pain more than hyaluronic acid, but not in all of them. Restoration of damaged cartilage has not been shown. Cell-based methods (BMAC, MFAT) are less well studied and more expensive. Exercise and weight control remain the basis of treatment — injections add to them rather than replace them.
When surgery is discussed. Surgery is discussed when marked pain and restricted movement do not improve after 3–6 months of conservative treatment, and in advanced stages with deformity.
If an injection helps, the effect usually builds up over 6–12 weeks, and the result is assessed after 2–3 months. No clinic can guarantee a result.
Good to know: diagnosis, self-help, outlook
How to tell shoulder osteoarthritis from similar conditions
In shoulder osteoarthritis the pain is deep and worsens with movement, with grinding and a gradual loss of motion in all directions. Frozen shoulder also limits movement, but the X-ray is normal; rotator cuff disease causes outer shoulder pain when raising the arm, while passive movement is preserved. X-ray shows joint-space narrowing and osteophytes; CT shows the shape of the socket before surgery.
What you can do yourself
Keep moving: daily range-of-motion and shoulder-blade exercises without severe pain. Heat before exercise reduces stiffness. Carry loads close to the body and limit overhead work.
Outlook and timelines
Osteoarthritis progresses slowly; exercise and painkillers help many patients for years. Corticosteroid injections relieve pain for weeks; evidence on hyaluronic acid in the shoulder is mixed. With severe pain and loss of function, shoulder replacement is discussed — anatomic, or reverse if the cuff is damaged.
Who it is not suitable for and possible risks
Contraindications
- Active infection — at the injection site or systemic, with fever.
- Active cancer or ongoing chemotherapy.
- Blood clotting disorders or a low platelet count. Anticoagulants are discussed with the physician.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — the procedure is usually postponed.
- A corticosteroid injection into the same area in recent weeks.
- A complete tendon or ligament rupture with loss of function — surgical repair is usually needed.
Possible risks
- Pain and swelling at the injection site for 1–3 days.
- Bruising where blood or fat tissue is taken.
- Rarely, infection. The procedure is therefore performed under sterile conditions with ultrasound or X-ray guidance.
- The effect may be absent or smaller than expected.
If any of these apply to you, mention it in your request. The coordinator will check with the clinic physician whether treatment is possible. Contact a coordinator.
Scientific evidence
Studies of regenerative methods show mixed results. Clinic physicians rely on research including the following:
- Karjalainen TV et al. Surgery for rotator cuff tears. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2019.
- Sheth U et al. Efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma use for orthopaedic indications: a meta-analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2012.
Next steps: Treatment methods · Treatment cost · How treatment in Germany is organised
Frequently Asked Questions about Treatment of Shoulder Osteoarthritis (Omarthrosis)
RegenPAS is a patient service centre in Munich, not a clinic. We review your images and symptoms and send a request to several partner clinics at once. Clinics that can accept you send their own conditions and price; prices differ between clinics, and you choose the option that suits you. The coordinator replies within 24 hours, and a clinic physician’s preliminary opinion follows in 1–3 business days. We then arrange the appointment, visa invitation, interpreter, transfers and accommodation. Treatment decisions are made by the clinic physician. Contact a coordinator.
Your MRI (or CT, X-ray) report and the images if you have them, plus a short description of your symptoms and previous treatment. Send them via the form on the website — the assessment is free and without obligation: the coordinator replies within 24 hours, and the clinic physician’s preliminary opinion follows in 1–3 business days.
The cost depends on the method, the diagnostics needed and the clinic itself: prices differ between clinics. We request offers from several clinics and send you their conditions and quotes so you can compare. Price guidance is on the treatment cost page. For an outpatient procedure, 2–3 days in Munich are usually enough: examination, procedure and follow-up visit.
Clinic and method matching — free of charge
Describe your case and attach your MRI report. We will identify clinics that use the relevant methods and forward your request to them. No obligation; we reply within 24 hours.
Send a request