Shoulder and Elbow Specialists

Driving a car, pitching a baseball, or training a horse, the shoulder moves through a greater range of motion than any other joint in the body.

Amazing flexibility makes our shoulders so versatile and yet so unstable. The elbow is a complex joint that coordinates the movement of the three large bones of the upper extremity. When these vulnerable joints are injured, our lifestyle suffers. From the repair of rotator cuff injuries, to total shoulder replacement surgery, to elbow reconstruction, the KOC shoulder and elbow specialists offer thorough knowledge and experience to restore your shoulder and elbow function.

Of the major joints of the human body, the shoulder may be the most at risk for injury. Approximately six million people a year in the United States visit a physician due to some type of shoulder problem. The treatment and restoration of upper extremity function requires a thorough knowledge of the complexities of the shoulder joint. Dr. Brian Holloway and Dr. Edwin Spencer are both Fellowship-trained Shoulder Specialists with an advanced level of diagnostic and surgical expertise. They have particular expertise with the arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff injuries and with total shoulder replacement surgery. Both physicians continue to be involved in extensive clinical and biomechanical research of the shoulder.

The Shoulder and Elbow Center

The KOC shoulder and elbow specialists are proud to introduce the creation of the Shoulder and Elbow Center. Read More...

Shoulder and Elbow Surgical Education

Learn more about common surgical procedures.

Recommended Medical Consumer Information for Shoulder Patients

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

News and Recoginitions

Dr. Spencer was inducted into the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons society. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) is a society made up of leading national and international Orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in surgery of the shoulder and elbow. The membership, which is by invitation only, currently consists of 206 members. The Society is an educational body responsible for development of scientific programs, for organization of current knowledge, for standardization of nomenclature and for publication of scientific materials. This prestigious group has only 2 other members in the state on Tennessee.
Dr. Spencer was awarded the Mid-America Traveling Fellowship. This is a $5,000 award that is granted to a physician for research at another facility in order to expand their expertise and knowledge by association with other workers in their field.

Published Articles

Edwin E. Spencer Jr. , Anita Tisdale, Kevin Kostka and Robert E. Ivy. Abstract: The EndoButton technique of distal biceps tendon repair provides strong biomechanical fixation. This strength of fixation may allow earlier postoperative range of motion (ROM). A retrospective review of 15 male patients undergoing single incision EndoButton repairs was used. Six subjects participated in conventional supervised postoperative rehabilitation while nine subjects were allowed unrestricted ROM after 2 weeks. Final ROM, time to full ROM, and Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores were compared. There was a significant difference for time to full ROM (p < 0.05). The mean time to full ROM was 8.67 weeks for the supervised therapy group and 4.38 weeks for the unrestricted group. There were no reruptures in either group. There were no significant differences in final ROM or DASH scores. These data suggest that unrestricted ROM results in a quicker return to full ROM without an increased risk of rerupture. Published online: 11 September 2008.
Kuhn JE, Dunn WR, Ma B, Wright RW, Jones G, Spencer EE, Wolf B, Safran M, Spindler KP, McCarty E, Kelly B, Holloway B. Interobserver agreement in the classification of rotator cuff tears. Am J Sports Medicine 2007;
Spencer EE. Journal Scan: Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery January 2006-June 2006. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2007: 458: 243-247.
Spencer EE. Treatment of grade III acromioclavicular joint injuries: A systematic review. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007:455:38-44.
Spencer EE. Update on radiology studies of the elbow. Current Opinion in Orthopaedics 2007; 18(4): 399-402.
Jebsen P, Spencer EE. Flexor tendon sheath ganglions: Results of surgical excision. Hand. 2007: Vol 2; Num 3; 94-100.
Spencer EE. Double row double lamina arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Techniques in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2007: 8(3); 135-140.
Spencer EE. Partial-thickness articular surface rotator cuff tears: An all-inside repair technique. Techniques in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2007: 8(4); 180-184.
Spencer EE, Dunn WR, Wright RW, Jones G, Wolf B, Ma CB, McCarty E, Safran M, Spindler KP, Kuhn JE. Interobserver agreement in the classification of rotator cuff tears using magnetic resonance imaging. Am J Sports Med. 2008: 36; 99-103.