What Are The Common Shoulder Injuries And How To Manage Them?

Shoulder Injuries: Overview  

Most people think that joint problems are common among athletes and older people. But when it comes to talking about shoulder injuries, everyone may be at risk The Common Shoulder Injuries . There are several causes of shoulder injuries. Most commonly, shoulder injuries occur during high contact sports when sportspeople require repetitive shoulder movements. As well as this, some accidental or traumatic conditions may also cause shoulder injuries. Here we will discuss the most common shoulder injuries and their treatments and preventions, suggested by experts. This article may help you recover the shoulder injuries safely and prevent them during physical activities.

Shoulder bursitis occurs when there is swelling and redness in the bursa – a fluid-filled sac lies between the the arm bone and the tip of the shoulder bone. The main cause of shoulder bursitis is overuse and repetitive shoulder movement. Overhead activities increase friction between tissues and bones. When bursitis occurs, you may feel sharp or pinching pain, shoulder stiffness, and a painful range of motion.

1.         Shoulder bursitis

How to treat shoulder bursitis?

Depending upon your conditions or the type of shoulder bursitis, the treatment may include;

• Activity modification
• Shoulder immobilization with a splint or cast
• Ice massage
• Aspiration of the bursa (removal of fluid with a syringe)
• Anti-inflammatory or antibiotic medications
• Wear bursitis shoulder supports to help relieve pain and inflammation

Surgery is a rare case to treat shoulder bursitis.  

How to prevent shoulder bursitis?

You need to adopt the following measures to treat shoulder bursitis:

• Warm-up your shoulders before exercising and sports
• Take frequent breaks while doing repetitive tasks
• Stop activities that cause shoulder pain
• Improve your posture
• Wearing shoulder supports help control overuse and repetitive motions

2.         Frozen shoulder

A frozen shoulder is a condition when the shoulder becomes stuck and limited in movements. A frozen shoulder usually occurs when the capsules and tissues surrounding the shoulder joint become inflamed. The common signs of frozen shoulder are pain and stiffness that makes the shoulder movements difficult. 

How to treat frozen shoulder?

Treatment of frozen shoulder depends upon the conditions and may include the following:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs
• Physical therapy and exercises to improve the range of motion
• Steroid injection to the frozen area
• Shoulder manipulation
• Wear frozen shoulder braces to reduce pain and swelling

Surgery is very rare to treat frozen shoulder.

How to prevent frozen shoulder?

You can prevent the chances of the frozen shoulder by following the given preventive measures:

• Stretching your shoulder or back muscles regularly
• Warm up your body, especially your shoulder, before sports and exercises
• Stop activities that cause pain in your shoulders
• Maintain your posture
• Wear shoulder supports when necessary

3.         Shoulder impingement

Shoulder impingement is a common shoulder injury. The condition occurs where the tendons inside the shoulder are caught or rubbed on nearby bone and tissue while lifting the arm. Shoulder impingement may result in pain in the top and outer sides of the shoulder. You may also feel weakness in your arm.

How to treat shoulder impingement?

Depending upon the situation, shoulder impingement can be treated in a number of ways, including;

• Rest: Take  plenty of rest and restrict unnecessary movement to stop further injury
• Ice massage: Icing the injured area helps relieve pain and inflammation 
• Physical therapy: Physical therapy helps improve the range of motion      
• Medications: Healthcare professionals recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and inflammation  
• Surgery: When other non-conservative measures do not respond for a long time, your GP may suggest surgical treatments. Yor healthcare professional performs surgery to enlarge the space around the rotator cuff. 

How to prevent shoulder impingement?

Follow the given preventive measures to help avoid shoulder impingement:

• Warm-up your shoulder before playing and exercising
• Increase your training or exercise gradually
• Balance your muscle training
• Regular stretching exercises help improve muscle strength

4.         Shoulder dislocation

A shoulder dislocation is a condition that occurs when the upper arm joint displaces from the shoulder joint. The leading causes of a dislocated shoulder may include high contact sports and traumatic conditions. Intense pain, bruising, instability, and visible deformity are the common symptoms of shoulder dislocation.

How to treat shoulder dislocation?

The treatment of a dislocated shoulder may include non-surgical and surgical processes, depending upon the severity of the injury:

• Home remedies: Experts suggest home remedies including rest, ice massage, compression bandages and elevating the injured areas. The home remedies help relieve pain and control further damage.
• Medications: Healthcare professionals may suggest pain relievers and muscle relaxants to reduce pain and inflammation.   
• Immobilization: Immobilizing the injured shoulder with splint or shoulder support for dislocation stop unnecessary movements, helping speed up the recovery process. 
• Closed reduction: The process helps align your shoulder without surgery.
• Surgery: When home remedies and other measures do not help, your GP may perform surgery to repair the dislocated shoulder.

How to prevent shoulder dislocation?

You need to consider the following preventive measures to avoid the risk of shoulder dislocation:

• Avoid falling during high contact sports
• Warm up your shoulder muscles to prevent overstretching
• Maintain your posture
• Regular stretching exercises improve flexibility and range of motion
• Wear protective gear when necessary  

5.         Shoulder fracture 

A shoulder fracture occurs when any of your shoulder bones are broken. A fracture can significantly impair your mobility and cause severe pain. Injury from high contact sports and traumatic conditions can cause shoulder fracture. Intense pain, bruising, swelling, tenderness, redness, and weakness are common symptoms of shoulder fracture.  

How to treat shoulder fracture?

Shoulder fracture treatment depends upon the severity of the damage. for example, nondisplaced shoulder fractures can be recovered through some conservative measures; however, displaced shoulder fractures require surgery:

Conservative measures for nondisplaced shoulder fractures    

Apply the following conservative measures to help with a nondisplaced fracture:

• Rest
• Icing the injured area
• Immobilizing through shoulder fracture braces
• Oral mediations
• Physical therapy and exercises

Surgery for a fractured shoulder

One of the following surgical treatments may be performed to treat a fractured shoulder:

• Shoulder fracture fixation
• Partial shoulder replacement surgery
• Reverse total replaces

How to prevent shoulder fracture?

By following the given measures, you can prevent shoulder fracture:

• Always warm up your body before sports and gym
• Improve shoulder strength and posture
• Avoid falling or a direct hit during sports
• Wear protective gear when necessary
• Follow all other preventive measures suggested by your GP or trainers 

Conclusion

All the mentioned shoulder injuries are common during high contact sports and other traumatic conditions. The given treatments will help you recover from these injuries quickly to restart your life routines. As well as this, the given preventive measures will help you prevent the chances of shoulder injuries during sports and other workout activities.

Wearing shoulder supports help you avoid injuries, and, at the same time, they also help speed up the recovery process following a shoulder injury or surgery. 360 Relief provides you with a variety of shoulder supports to help manage your shoulder problems Read more