Anyone who has had shoulder injuries in La Jolla will attest that a joint malfunction can affect your mobility, causing pain and discomfort. The shoulder is a complex joint with the most significant motion range, making it susceptible to repetitive injuries. The ball-and-socket joint comprises three bones, the clavicle, scapula, and humerus.
The two other joints within the joint, the glenohumeral joint and the acromioclavicular joint, allow you to move your shoulder backward and forward and in a circular motion. Shoulder injuries can be sudden or develop gradually. For instance, you may injure your shoulder when playing sports, doing manual labor, or an illness that spreads pain to your joint.
What should you know about shoulder injuries?
Shoulder injuries may take weeks or months to resolve. However, you should start noticing changes in the injury at least two weeks. If you see no improvements, it would be advisable to seek professional help for further evaluation, who may prescribe rehabilitative exercises, surgery, or steroid injections used to treat shoulder pain.
- Shoulder exercises can either help or hurt your shoulder
Exercises help strengthen your shoulder, preventing the injury from worsening. However, overdoing the exercises or doing the wrong routine can strain the joint, weakening your shoulder. Working with your fitness coach or physician will help you stick to the correct exercises to facilitate quick recovery of the injury.
- Most shoulder injuries result from the rotator cuff
A torn or ruptured rotator cuff is responsible for a significant percentage of shoulder pains and immobility. The rotator cuff comprises of muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder. You are likely to have a rotator cuff tear because of an accident or sudden impact. However, the tear may also occur gradually because of repetitive motions and overusing the joint. A tear weakens your shoulder, making you feel pain with slight movements like lifting your arm. In other instances, the pain may result from an impingement, fractures, shoulder instability, osteoarthritis, or tendinitis. The best part is that most patients with rotator cuff injuries enhance their joints’ functions with non-surgical treatment options like activity modification.
- Shoulder injuries can prevent you from enjoying a good night sleep
Having a painful shoulder that makes it hard to sleep at night can be frustrating. Besides the discomfort and the disruption you will have, the inability to sleep may also worsen the injury. The only option you have is to seek professional help immediately.
- An early diagnosis is vital with shoulder injuries
The key to proper recovery is to contact your healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment to prevent the injury from worsening. Most shoulder injuries do not need a surgical procedure. Your physician will suggest approaches to ease your pain, enhance muscle range and strengthen your muscles. While most people assume injury, ignoring it will not make the pain disappear. The more you ignore, the more non-surgical treatment options will not address the injury.
People with shoulder pains assume that the symptoms will eventually subside. However, working with your healthcare provider and embracing the proper approaches will give you the best outcome. Call your doctor at Upper Extremity Specialists to learn more about shoulder pain and how untreated back pain can affect your general well-being.
