Common Shoulder Injuries

Are you experiencing shoulder pain?

There are several causes and corresponding treatments. The most common shoulder conditions include shoulder impingement, tendonitis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, and rotator cuff injury. Other injuries include subluxation, dislocation, and fracture. Many of these conditions present with similar symptoms so it is important to seek a diagnosis from a medical professional to identify the cause and recommend suitable treatments.

If your experiencing pain and stiffness when using your shoulder, it could be frozen shoulder or impingement, arthritis, tendonitis, or bursitis. If you have a tingling sensation, arm numbness or weakness, or it feels like the shoulder is clicking or locking it could be due to shoulder instability. Sudden pain, or difficulty in moving your arm could be symptomatic of a more serious condition such as dislocation, fracture, or tendon injury.

Shoulder impingement occurs where the tendon inside your shoulder rubs or catches on nearby tissue and bone as you lift your arm. It affects the rotator cuff tendon, which connects the muscles around your shoulder joint to the top of your arm. This can be caused by the tendon becoming swollen, thickened, or torn due to an injury, overuse of the shoulder, or age-related wear and tear.

An impinging shoulder will often improve in a few weeks or months, especially with the right type of shoulder exercises, but it can be an ongoing problem. Symptoms include pain in the top and outer side of your shoulder, pain that’s worse when you lift your arm, especially above your head. You may also experience weakness in your arm. Your shoulder will not usually be stiff, if it is stiff for a sustained period, you might have a frozen shoulder instead.

Bursitis occurs when the fluid filled sacs that cushion the shoulder joint become inflamed and painful often caused by repetitive movement or injury. It is usually a dull pain; tender or warmer than surrounding skin; swollen and more painful when you move it or press on it; and the area may also be red. Antibiotics may be required if the bursitis is caused by an infection.

Tendonitis is when the tendon is swollen following an injury. It can cause joint pain and stiffness, affecting how the tendon moves. The main symptoms are pain that increases when you move; difficulty moving the joint feeling a grating or crackling sensation when you move the tendon; swelling, sometimes with heat or redness. If the pain is sudden and severe, and happened during an accident or activity, you may have torn the tendon.

In general, keeping your shoulder mobile is important to healing and recovery, so try to continue with normal daily activity where possible so your shoulder does not become weak or stiff. However, avoid activity and sports that cause pain, and involve pulling, jerky or jarring movements, or repeatedly lifting your arm above your head.

Pain killers and anti-inflammatory topical gels may provide pain relief and reduce swelling. If the pain is severe, or sustained, or movement is limited, you may require steroid injections to bring down the swelling. Hot and Cold therapy can also be used to ease pain, reduce swelling & relax muscles but this does need to be used with caution to avoid burning. Orthopaedic supports may be beneficial to provide joint stabilisation and compression, plus protect the shoulder muscles and joints from injury allowing return to daily activity.