Regardless of age, skill level or sport, shoulder injuries are among the most common types of injury an athlete can experience, with an average of 7.5 million reported every year. No surprise, considering it’s one of the most mobile joints in the body. While it may seem obvious that athletes who participate in throwing sports may be the most prone, you’d be surprised to know that virtually any sport which requires lifting or upper body movement may lead to the formation of a shoulder injury. And it’s not just under-training or over-training that can be blamed, either. As a matter of fact, shoulder injuries are routinely caused by a variety of athletic activities involve excessive repetitive, overhead motion, like swimming, tennis, throwing, and weightlifting. What’s more, no matter how fit and robust you may be within your chosen discipline, many shoulder injuries are caused by everyday activities, such as washing or painting walls, hanging curtains even gardening. So why not get to know, not only the symptoms but treatments and helpful exercises that could help to keep you in the game.
Most common types of shoulder injuries
The three most common shoulder injuries for athletes include instablity and dislocations, rotator cuff tendonitis and rotator cuff tears, and labral and SLAP tears. If you’ve been training for a while, you’re probably familiar with most of these terms, but we’ll refresh your memory with a description of each. Shoulder instability is most common amongst throwing athletes, gradually occurring as the result of repetitive movements, such as pitching a ball. Over time, the ligaments can stretch, making it easy for the head of the shoulder bone to slip out of the socket. Usually the result of a sudden force, such as a hard tackle or a pull, dislocation occurs when the ligaments, muscles and tendons can no longer secure your shoulder joint, sending the round top part of your humerus (upper arm bone) either partially out of the socket (subluxation) or completely out of the socket (total dislocation).
Symptoms: Instability may first show up as short bursts of pain alternated with numbness, and an overall decrease in throwing velocity resulting from the weakness of the compromised muscles and tissues. Dislocation is characterized by sudden and severe pain, with little or no ability to move it at all.
Treatment: Depending on the severity of the instability or dislocation, treatment can range from physical therapy to surgery.
The former entails a personal therapy regimen developed to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles and periscapular muscles in order to restore stability to the joint. Though more drastic, the surgical approach is intended to stabilize the shoulder by restoring the normal anatomy without over-tightening the ligaments.
Rotator cuff tendonitis/rotator cuff tears
The rotator cuff forms a crucial part of the shoulder, comprising a network of muscles and tendons that attach the shoulder bones to the joint. If you need help visualizing the function of the rotator cuff, simply lift your arm up overhead—that’s the rotator cuff in action, giving you full movement of your shoulder joint.
There are two main types of rotator cuff injury in the rotator cuff can occur over time as the tendons wear down, sometimes to the point of fraying, ultimately losing their strength. However, a sudden injury could result in a rotator cuff tear, either partial (when one of the muscles is frayed or damaged) or complete (when the tear goes through to the tendon or pulls the tendon off the bone).
Symptoms: Again, the severity of the injury determines the discomfort. The most common symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis or a tear include pain during arm activity (such as lifting or lowering the arm), as well as pain during rest, weakness doing otherwise simple activities, such as buttoning a shirt or lifting light objects, and finally, a crackling or grinding sensation felt in the shoulder when you try to move it.
Treatment: Treating an injured rotator cuff starts with a combination of physical therapy designed to strengthen your shoulder muscles, as well as a pain management regimen usually consisting of massage therapy and or over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, like acetaminophen.
For more severe cases, surgery may be required to repair a completely torn tendon or reattach it to the bone. There are also several exercises you can do on a daily basis to help keep your rotator cuff in good shape. If you’ve experienced a rotator cuff injury, check with your doctor or physical therapist for the most optimal practices.
Labral and SLAP tears
Labral tears occur in the labrum, which is the cup-shaped cushion that surrounds the socket of the shoulder joint. SLAP tears occur in the top part of the labrum, called the Superior Labral Antero Posterior (hence SLAP). The most frequent cause of both labral and SLAP tears is from a fall or direct blow to the shoulder, usually from activities like overhead throwing in baseball or the heavy lifting and tackling in rugby.
Symptoms: The signs of both labral and SLAP tears can show up in a variety of ways including a decreased sense of power in your shoulder, general pain associated with overhead movements, limited range of motion or ability to reach certain regular movements, and a telltale symptom is deep shoulder pain you can’t quite pinpoint the cause of, as well as a clicking or grinding sensation in your shoulder.
Treatment: The first line of treatment for a labral or SLAP tear includes anti-inflammatories to manage pain and swelling, in conjunction with physical therapy exercises intended to strengthen the shoulder and gradually bring about increased motion and function. In more severe situations, minimally-invasive arthroscopic surgery may be required to reattach the torn portion of the labrum or SLAP with stitches.
Shoulder pain: to treat or not to treat
No matter what the injury, if the pain isn’t too bad at the outset, many people think it’s easier to ignore the discomfort of their shoulder injury and “play it out,” figuring it’ll dissipate once the muscles warm up. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Underestimating the severity of your shoulder injury could lead to even more extensive problems, which for you can mean increased pain and longer treatment time. So the general rule of shoulder pain is is: if it hurts, seek help.
Exercises to encourage healing and prevent further injury
The good news is that there are a variety of shoulder exercises can do on a daily basis to keep your shoulders in optimal condition and prevent the potentially debilitating shoulder injuries we’ve just discussed. Just remember—although these exercises focus on the shoulder area, they’re not intended to replace actual medical attention, and you should only practice them after you’ve checked in with your doctor to make sure they’re right for you.
Basic shoulder strengthening
For this, you’ll need an elastic tube that you’ll attach to a doorknob. Gently pull the elastic tubing toward your body, holding for a count of five and slowly releasing. Repeat five times with each arm, twice a day.
Wall push-ups
Face a wall standing up, feet shoulder-width apart, and place your hands on the wall. Gently and slowly do a push-up, holding for a count of five. Repeat five times, twice a day.
Shoulder press-ups
Using a chair with an armrest, sit upright with your feet flat on the floor. Now, use your arms to gently raise yourself off the chair, and hold for a count of five. Repeat this five times, twice a day. Another approach is demonstrated below.
We hope this article has been helpful in taking you through the most common shoulder injuries experienced by athletes, so you can be more aware of what’s going on with your own body.
Disclaimer: This article is strictly for informative purposes, and nothing contained therein is intended to substitute for medical advice. If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of one of the conditions we’ve just covered, seek medical attention at once.
