E144: Dr. Robert “Bo” Lewis on Shoulder Pain, Rotator Cuff, Labral Tears & Frozen Shoulder.

Welcome to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, I’m joined by Dr. Robert “Bo” Lewis, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder care and sports medicine. In this episode, we break down why shoulder pain is so common, from impingement and rotator cuff tendinosis to labral tears, instability, and frozen shoulder. Dr. Lewis explains age-specific patterns (youth athletes vs. 40s–50s vs. older adults), what symptoms point to each problem, and how he thinks through treatment—physical therapy, targeted injections, arthroscopy, and when anatomic vs. reverse shoulder replacement makes sense. Tune in for practical tips to protect young throwers, manage night pain, and know when it’s time to see a shoulder specialist.Dr. Robert G. “Bo” Lewis is the founder of Coastal Shoulder Surgery & Sports Medicine and has specialized in shoulder surgery since 2006. A board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lewis focuses on arthroscopic shoulder procedures and sports medicine. Before medicine, he earned a business degree in risk management from the University of Georgia and worked in Tampa before completing his medical degree at the University of South Florida. He went on to complete his orthopedic residency at the Medical College of Georgia and a fellowship in shoulder surgery at McCluskey Orthopaedic Surgery.Dr. Lewis has performed more than 10,000 arthroscopic procedures, with expertise in rotator cuff and labral repairs, biceps tenodesis, and superior capsular reconstructions. He and his team pioneered a technique for performing shoulder surgery without general anesthesia. His practice also treats sports-related injuries of the elbow, hip, and knee, including ACL reconstructions and Tommy John procedures. Dr. Lewis is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and an active member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, Southern Orthopaedic Association, Florida Orthopaedic Society, and Florida Medical Association.00:28 — Origin of “Bo”01:33 — From business to medicine; carpentry → orthopedics05:24 — Why his practice is 90% shoulders06:42 — Why shoulder pain is so common (golf ball on a tee)09:50 — Young athletes: growth plates, laxity, labral/labrum issues14:22 — Pitch counts & protecting developing shoulders15:58 — 40s–50s: rotator cuff tendinosis, bursitis, night pain18:51 — Impingement explained and daily triggers22:31 — Frozen shoulder: risks, phases, treatment approach34:29 — Older adults: cuff tears, pseudo-paralysis, replacementsConnect with Dr. Bo LewisWebsite: https://www.coastalshoulder.comConnect with Dr. RellerPodcast website: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou... My linktree: linktr.ee/kerryrellermdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryrellermd/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterFamilyMedicineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearwaterfamilymedicine/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kerryrellermdClearwater Family Medicine and Allergy website: https://sites.google.com/view/clearwa...Podcast: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou...Subscribe to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Pandora.