While joint issues are rarely a preserve for active athletes and older adults, Dr. Kristopher Downing in La Jolla asserts that anyone is susceptible to joint pains. The shoulder is one of the most vulnerable joints, thanks to its complex anatomy and flexibility give them the greatest motion range. You might not need a surgical procedure to resolve the problem.
Your healthcare provider can recommend non-surgical treatment options to help minimize inflammation, strengthen your muscles, alleviate pain and enhance your shoulder’s motion range. The earlier you contact your doctor for medical assistance, the less complex treatments you might need.
What are the types of shoulder injuries you are likely to have?
Most shoulder injuries do not affect your bones. Instead, the injuries affect your tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Shoulder injuries can either be instability or impingement.
Instability
Instability causes your shoulder joints to move out of position, resulting in the dislocation of a joint in your shoulder. Instability injuries may cause you pain when lifting your arm or feel like something is dislodging your shoulder from its position.
Impingement
Impingement injuries result from excessive friction between the muscles on the top part of your shoulder blade. Most impingement issues result from activities requiring excessive overhead hand movements. Your doctor might advise you not to hesitate with such injuries because they can advance to more severe injuries.
How are acute injuries different from overuse shoulder injuries?
Shoulder problems can either be minor or severe, depending on the severity of your symptoms. The symptoms you are likely to have with shoulder injuries include minimized motion range, pain, swelling, weakness, numbness, and tingling sensations.
Acute or sudden injuries
Acute injuries are the most common causes of shoulder pain, resulting from various reasons, including a direct blow to your shoulder, an odd twist, or falling on an outstretched arm. The pain you are likely to feel after acute injuries can be severe, with bruising or swelling that might develop after the injury. Examples of acute injuries include:
Bruises that occur when the tiny blood vessels under your skin rupture
- Muscle pull
- Nerve injuries
- Strains
- Fractures
- Dislocation
Overuse injuries
The injuries happen when you exert too much strain on your joints or tissues by overdoing particular activity over time. Types of overuse injuries include:
- Inflammation of the tendinitis
- Inflammation of the bursitis
- Frozen shoulder
- Inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons
- Muscle strain
How can exercise harm or help your shoulders?
Keeping yourself fit is crucial if you want to have strong and healthy shoulders. However, not all exercises are suitable for the shoulders. Your physician will help recommend the best exercise routine to prevent you from engaging in wrong exercises that might harm your shoulders. For instance, your fitness coach might suggest using resistance bands instead of weight lifting and maintaining a 90 º bend for your shoulder-strengthening exercises.
Most shoulder pain patients assume seeking professional help with the thought that the pain will eventually resolve independently. Seek medical attention early enough to minimize your chances of going for more complex treatments.
