Fellowship-trained shoulder and elbow care with an academic foundation.
Dr. Jeremy Somerson is an Associate Professor and board-certified orthopaedic shoulder and elbow surgeon. His practice emphasizes careful diagnosis, thoughtful nonoperative treatment when appropriate, and advanced surgical care for shoulder and elbow problems.
Clinical areas of focus include shoulder replacement, computer-navigated shoulder arthroplasty, rotator cuff repair, shoulder instability, biceps tendon injuries, tennis elbow, elbow reconstruction, and shoulder and elbow fractures and dislocations.
He completed fellowship training in shoulder and elbow surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center, orthopaedic surgery residency at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and a visiting elective in elbow reconstruction at Mayo Clinic.
Training & Qualifications
- Associate Professor
- Fellowship: Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center
- Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Visiting Elective: Elbow Reconstruction, Mayo Clinic
- Medical School: University of Leipzig, MD
- Board Certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Clear treatment pathways for shoulder and elbow problems.
Care is individualized around diagnosis, goals, activity level, imaging findings, and recovery expectations.
Shoulder Replacement
Evaluation and treatment of shoulder arthritis, rotator cuff tear arthropathy, anatomic and reverse shoulder replacement, computer-navigated planning, and painful shoulder replacement concerns.
Rotator Cuff & Biceps Tendon Injuries
Care for rotator cuff tears, proximal biceps tendon pain or tearing, distal biceps tendon ruptures, recurrent tendon tears, and persistent shoulder or elbow symptoms affecting lifting, overhead activity, and sleep.
Fractures & Dislocations
Evaluation and treatment of shoulder and elbow fractures, dislocations, instability, post-traumatic stiffness, and functional limitations after injury.
Shoulder Instability
Treatment of first-time and recurrent shoulder dislocations, labral injuries, sports-related instability, and persistent apprehension with overhead activity.
Tennis Elbow & Tendon Pain
Nonoperative care, imaging-guided evaluation, and in-office percutaneous tenotomy using Tenex® technology for selected patients with chronic tennis elbow.
Elbow Reconstruction
Treatment for elbow stiffness, arthritis, instability, tendon injuries, fracture sequelae, and post-traumatic motion loss.
Helping patients return to the activities they enjoy.
Treatment is focused on restoring comfort, motion, strength, and confidence for sport, fitness, work, and daily life.
Pickleball & Racquet Sports
Shoulder and elbow care for recreational athletes with pain, tendon injury, instability, and return-to-play goals.
Golf & Rotational Sports
Evaluation and treatment focused on pain relief, shoulder rotation, strength, and dependable function.
Overhead Function
Restoring reaching, lifting, sleep comfort, and the activities that matter most to each patient.
Percutaneous tenotomy for selected tennis elbow patients.
For appropriate patients with persistent tennis elbow, also called lateral epicondylitis, an ultrasound-guided percutaneous tenotomy procedure using Tenex® technology may be an option.
The procedure is performed through a very small skin opening. Ultrasound guidance helps target the unhealthy portion of the tendon while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.
- Performed in the office setting for selected patients
- Typically performed with local anesthetic
- No general anesthesia required for most patients
- Designed to remove damaged tendon tissue and stimulate a healing response
Who may be a candidate?
This option may be considered for patients with chronic symptoms that have not improved with therapy, activity modification, injections, or other nonoperative treatments. A consultation and ultrasound evaluation can help determine whether this is appropriate.
Efficient referral pathway for shoulder and elbow injuries and subspecialty care.
The goal is to make specialty evaluation straightforward for acute injuries, persistent symptoms, and cases where subspecialty shoulder and elbow input is helpful.
High-Value Referral Scenarios
- Shoulder and elbow fractures or dislocations
- Proximal and distal biceps tendon ruptures
- Severe shoulder arthritis, deformity, or bone loss
- Computer-navigated shoulder replacement evaluation
- Rotator cuff tears, recurrent tears, or persistent symptoms
- Recurrent shoulder instability or failed stabilization
- Elbow stiffness, instability, arthritis, and post-traumatic motion loss
Information That Helps Expedite Review
- Clinical question and urgency of referral
- Recent X-rays and advanced imaging reports
- Operative reports and implant information, if applicable
- Prior treatment history, injections, and therapy notes
- Relevant medical comorbidities and patient goals
Serving League City, Clear Lake, and the Houston Bay Area.
The practice is centered at UTMB Health League City Campus and serves patients from League City, Clear Lake, Webster, Friendswood, Dickinson, Kemah, Seabrook, Texas City, Galveston County, and the broader Houston Bay Area.
Scholarship supporting shoulder and elbow care.
Dr. Somerson’s academic work includes peer-reviewed publications and invited chapters related to shoulder replacement, elbow infection, clinical outcomes, rotator cuff imaging classification, and reconstructive orthopaedics.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications
- Somerson JS, Stein BA, Wirth MA. Distribution of high-volume shoulder replacement surgeons in the United States. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016;98(18):e77.
- Somerson JS, Hsu JE, Gorbaty JD, Gee AO. Goutallier classification of fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff musculature. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2016;474(5):1328-1332.
- Somerson JS, Morrey ME, Sanchez-Sotelo J, Morrey BF. Diagnosis and management of periprosthetic elbow infection. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2015;97(23):1962-1971.
Professional Profile
Additional information about academic background, professional activity, and publications is available through the UTMB faculty profile.