Shoulder Surgery Helps Pro Swimmer Make Comeback in the Pool After 20 Years

Stuart Patterson’s love for swimming began when he was very young, sparked by his mother, who was a youth swim coach. He swam competitively until he was 23 and then for another 10 years after that in a U.S. Masters Swimming Club. When an accident in 2003 fractured the humerus bone in his left shoulder, he was forced to give up his beloved sport and he was devastated.

Stuart had shoulder replacement surgery a few months after the accident at a nearby healthcare facility, but it left him with major restrictions of movement. Not only was swimming still not possible but, because of his limited range of motion, he struggled with everyday activities such as getting things down from a shelf, driving and washing his hair.

“Range of motion was one issue, but the other was pain,” Stuart says. “When seasons changed to colder and wetter I could feel it in my shoulder.”

Stuart knew he needed to have his shoulder fixed again. To be in varying degrees of pain, not be able to properly do normal daily activities and to not be able to swim even recreationally took a toll on him.

But every surgeon he visited told him they would not perform a second repair or replacement of his shoulder because it was either not possible or it was too risky.

“Not one doctor thought I should have my shoulder replaced again,” Stuart says. “Mostly what I heard was that I was too young or not in enough pain or that I didn’t have enough issues with mobility.”

So, for the next 20 years, Stuart stayed out of the pool and lived with his limited physical abilities.

Finally, some hope

In 2022, on a referral from his primary care doctor, Stuart met with Cleveland Clinic Orthopaedic Surgeon Peter Evans, MD, PhD at the Tomsich Health and Medical Center in Palm Beach. He was ready to again explore any new possibilities that may be available for his shoulder.

“The first time I met Dr. Evans he instilled confidence in me,” Stuart says. “He said the decision was mine. He walked me through the pros and cons and the possibilities of what could happen. He was very positive that this procedure would be successful, and I didn’t expect to hear that.”

“Then I started to think, ‘Maybe I can get back in the pool,’ and then I said ‘Alright, let’s do it.’”

Stuart says the rewards of having a second shoulder replacement seemed to outweigh the risks. Though he felt nervous after having been told “no” so many times, he was more excited about what he may be able to do again and how his quality of life could improve.

“Then I started to think, ‘Maybe I can get back in the pool,’ and then I said ‘Alright, let’s do it,’” Stuart says.

Successful repair allows for better quality of life and the chance to swim again

Though he says the road to recovery was tough, Stuart is very glad he sought help from Dr. Evans and Cleveland Clinic in Florida and had the surgery in 2022 to repair his shoulder a second time.

“My quality of life has really improved,” Stuart says. “The pain is 100 percent gone unless I push it.”

Thanks to a much-improved range of motion he can perform normal everyday activities again and was able to get back into the pool and back into swimming about six months after his surgery.

“It was a blessing I never thought I would have again,” he says. “And I am in better shape now.”

Stuart exercises every morning and is working at getting back as close as possible to the swimmer that he was before the accident.

“I am very grateful to Dr. Evans,” Stuart says. “This is beyond what I ever expected. The entire team at Cleveland Clinic has been wonderful.”