Before Your Visit

A first orthopedic visit goes best when the history, imaging, and prior treatment are all in front of us. Here is what to bring and what the visit will look like.

Checklist

What to Bring

Prior imaging — If applicable, bring in both written radiology reports and physical discs containing any X-rays, MRI, or CT scans that you have previously obtained.

Outside records — Prior operative reports and treatment records from previous care that may be applicable to your current symptoms should be brought as they may be helpful in determining your treatment.

Photo ID and insurance card — These will be needed at check-in to verify coverage and confirm your benefits for the visit.

Preparing

Symptom History

Being prepared for your consultation will allow us to better understand your shoulder condition and how it is affecting your life. For patients who have dealt with their symptoms for a long time, it can be difficult to recall certain aspects of their condition when asked during a consultation. Therefore, we have prepared a list of the most common questions our team will ask you at your visit, so that you can think about them at your leisure beforehand.

When did your symptoms begin? Was there an acute event or trauma that led to your symptoms?

When do you experience your symptoms? Is it all the time, or does it get worse with certain activities?

Where is most of your pain located?

How would you rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10? If a normal shoulder was 100% and a completely disabled shoulder was 0%, how would you rate your shoulder overall?

Over the past few months, is your shoulder getting better, staying the same, or getting worse?

What activities for work, sports, and recreation are important to you? How is your shoulder affecting your ability to do these activities?

Treatment History

As a specialized referral practice, our patients have typically had treatment elsewhere prior to consulting with us. It is important to have a detailed record of previous treatments you have had. This includes physical therapy, medications, injections (what type and when), and previous surgery. If you have had prior surgery on your shoulder, please request a copy of your operative report from your surgeon’s office and bring it to your visit.

Previous Imaging

If you have had previous imaging of your shoulder, please reach out to the facility where the imaging was done and request both the report and the actual images on a CD. Please bring this with you to your appointment. This includes X-rays, computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. If you have not had X-rays recently and you are seeing us for the first time, we will likely request a new set of X-rays on the day of your visit.

The Appointment

What the Visit Looks Like

Check-in and intake

You will complete a short history form covering your symptoms, activity level, and treatment to date.

History and examination

Dr. Kunze will discuss how the problem began, what makes it better or worse, and examine the joint for range of motion, strength, stability, and areas of tenderness.

Imaging review

Existing X-rays or MRI are reviewed with you on screen. If additional imaging is needed, it is usually arranged the same day.

Diagnosis and plan

You will leave with a working diagnosis, the non-surgical and surgical options that apply to it, and a clear next step.

Ready to Schedule?

Our office will help gather records before your visit.

Request an Appointment