Curt Schilling's Shoulder Pain

Posted by Steven M. Cohen Feb 10, 2008

Curt Shilling has had a great career, but the 41 year old pitcher for the Boston Red Sox has likely reached the end of the road. It’s been widely report this past week that Schilling has a rotator cuff tear in his pitching shoulder, and is in terrible pain. A doctor, not affiliated with the Red Sox, feels that Shilling needs surgery to possibly regain his pitching form. The team, however, wants Schilling to try conservative treatment first, in hopes that he can pitch in the latter part of this season (Schilling has said that the 2008 season will be his last). The Red Sox fear that rotator cuff surgery will sideline Schilling for all of 2008, and have threatened to void his $8 million contract if he undergoes surgery without team approval.

According to this ESPN.com report, Schilling’s rotator cuff resembles “linguine”. Although I haven’t seen any of Schilling’s medical records, if his rotator cuff does, in fact, resemble pasta, there is little chance that Schilling will be able to pitch effectively without surgical repair. In fact, if the tear is bad enough, surgery might relieve Schilling’s pain, but may not restore his ability to pitch at his previous high level.

The troubling thing about this situation to me, as a medical professional, is the fact that the financial considerations outweigh what is best for the patient – immediate surgery, with appropriate post-operative physical rehabilitation. While this option may harm the Boston Red Sox in the short run, it really is the best course, in my opinion, for Curt Schilling.