Telephone Forum on April 7, 2026
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, readers of the Volksstimme will have the opportunity to ask experts their questions on the topic of “When Your Shoulder Hurts – What Can Be Done?” directly during a telephone forum.
The experts available to answer questions are Prof. Dr. med. Alexander Berth, deputy director of the Magdeburg University Orthopedic Clinic (Director: Prof. Dr. Christoph Lohmann) and a recognized expert in shoulder surgery, as well as Dr. Margit Rudolf, senior physician, specialist in orthopedics at the same clinic, and an experienced diagnostician with extensive expertise in the non-surgical treatment of shoulder conditions.
If you have any of the questions listed below, please do not hesitate to call us. Those interested can receive advice on April 7, 2026, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. by calling 0391-532970.
- What are the most common causes of shoulder pain?
- Can inflammation in the shoulder become chronic?
- When should I definitely see a doctor for shoulder pain?
- What conservative treatment options are available—and when is surgery necessary?
- How do shoulder conditions differ between women and men?
- What can I do myself to prevent or relieve shoulder pain?
Shoulder complaints are among the most common orthopedic problems: About one in three people in Germany seeks specialist treatment at least once in their lifetime due to shoulder problems. As a result, shoulder conditions have become a significant widespread ailment. The causes are varied and range from inflammatory rheumatic diseases to age-related wear and tear and calcium deposits in the tendons, all the way to injury-related damage to the joint capsule as well as torn ligaments and tendons.
Unlike many back problems, shoulder issues are often not short-term but rather chronic conditions. They can significantly impair daily life—for example, while driving, during sports activities, at work, or due to nighttime pain. In many cases, differentiated conservative and, if necessary, surgical treatment is required. Additionally, there are gender-specific differences that must be taken into account in therapy.
Against this backdrop, a Chair of Shoulder Surgery has been established at the University Orthopedic Clinic Magdeburg—currently the only one of its kind in Saxony-Anhalt. The goal is to further improve the quality of care, particularly in shoulder arthroplasty and arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
With Professor Berth, holder of a W2 endowed professorship in shoulder surgery since March 2024, a proven expert is available. Dr. Margit Rudolf complements the spectrum with her many years of experience in the diagnosis and conservative treatment of shoulder disorders.
A focus of Professor Berth’s research is on the development and optimization of modern therapeutic procedures. He specializes in arthroscopic reconstructive procedures and is working on innovative, minimally invasive surgical methods. Age-related wear and tear or chronic overuse can lead to painful tendon tears. With the help of modern tissue reconstruction and engineering techniques, damaged tissue can now be replaced with increasing success.
Prof. Berth also has extensive clinical experience in shoulder arthroplasty and is deeply involved in new prosthesis designs, the use of patient-specific implants, and aspects of digital planning and computer-assisted navigation in these shoulder joint replacement surgeries.