01/15/2026
Patient Story: Shoulder Repair Gives Fountain Firefighter Renewed Freedom, Strength
A career firefighter, Pueblo West’s Nate L., has relied on his physical strength, especially that of his shoulders and arms, to carry out lifesaving operations for more than two decades. So, when he started experiencing chronic pain in his shoulder, it wasn’t a big surprise—he chalked it up to wear and tear from years of use on the job. Now a battalion chief, Nate’s day-to-day work isn’t as physical as it once was, so he was able to get by with some shoulder discomfort. But last year, when his left shoulder pain intensified and began affecting his everyday mobility, he realized the damage wasn’t going to get better on its own.
Nate describes the moment he realized he needed to seek treatment, “I’m a big car enthusiast. I was working on one of my cars, lying on my back when I reached to grab something, and my arm just fell backwards. I was at a point where I couldn’t move it—I didn’t have the strength to lift my arm to get it up from above my head. My arm just gave out on me. At that point, I knew I needed to go see a surgeon.”
One of his family members works with Michael Simpson, MD, of Colorado Orthopedic Specialists in Colorado Springs and soon Nate had an appointment with him to discuss what needed to be done to repair his shoulder. “Dr. Simpson explained that I had tears everywhere,” he recalls. “All through the labrum, and my bicep tendon was torn. When Dr. Simpson got in there, he said it was the worst he’d seen in quite a while. I had a SLAP repair and the bicep tendon relocated.”
While the recovery was not easy—he said it was particularly difficult for three weeks—Nate found the results of the surgery life-changing. “Compared to where it was to where it is now, it is a complete 180. I’m fully functional. And I’m continuing to get my strength back.” Now, he is talking to Dr. Simpson about having his other shoulder repaired as well. “I really felt it was worth it and Dr. Simpson’s office is great. He is such a personable man and honestly, if I didn’t have that surgery, I don’t even know what I’d be doing right now, I definitely couldn’t be doing much.”
Learn more about Dr. Simpson: https://healthonephysiciangroup.com/physicians/profile/Dr-Michael-Simpson-MD