Every now and then, we hear sportsmen suffering from injuries. While they tend to get hurt practically everywhere on their body, one of the most common spot that is susceptible to injury is the shoulder. The most common shoulder injuries seen on field include dislocations, Acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries, rotator cuff tear, shoulder labrum tear thrower’s shoulder, biceps injuries, bursitis and fractures. While dislocations and ACJ injuries are more common in contact sports, such as rugby and wrestling, rotator cuff tears and SLAP lesions are common in sports involving explosive heavy weight-lifting.
Usually, it is quite difficult to identify the severity of a shoulder injury. Which is why, people tend to ignore them further aggravating the injury. Thus, it is advised that early assessment from a skilled
Shoulder Surgeon or Therapist is the right way forward when experiencing discomfort in the shoulders.
There are number of injuries known to be common on field. The most prominent of which are listed below:
Shoulder Dislocations
Being the most mobile joint in the body also makes the shoulder potentially unstable. Therefore, it becomes a common joint for dislocations in the body. Minor traumas in the shoulder result in the shoulder to ‘pop out’ of the joint. To fix it, the doctor fixes it back into the joint following by rounds of physiotherapy.
But, more than half of dislocations hold possibility of recurrence, especially among the youth indulging in sports. Repeated dislocations lead to more instability and stretching of the shoulder joint that require long periods of rest and decreased performance. Therefore, it is generally recommended that one should opt for shoulder dislocation surgery before the injury aggravates.
Rotator Cuff Tears
The rotator cuff is a crucial bunch of tendons that provide movement and stability for the shoulder. Therefore, in the event of damage, pain and weakness in the area can be significant. Those who choose to fix these tears early show faster recovery. That’s because when left unattended, these tears get bigger and more difficult to repair later on. Rotator cuff repair can be done by keyhole surgery or open surgery.
SLAP Lesions
Superior Labral Antero-Posterior (SLAP) tears of the shoulder are common among those in sports requiring overhead throwing, heavy lifting and tackling. In most cases, the biceps anchor in the shoulder is forcibly peeled or pulled off its bone attachment by a large pulling or peeling force. This can occur during a heavy lift, hard throw, tackle or fall. As for symptoms, deep pain is experienced inside the shoulder owing to the heavy duty lifting action the patient is subjected to.
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery (keyhole surgery), is the recommended courses of action to treat such cases.
Shoulder Labrum Tear
The labrum is a cushion like muscle surrounding the socket of the shoulder joint that is susceptible to tear. Common causes behind these tears are attributed to falls or direct blows to the shoulder, but may also occur with throwing or pulling injuries. Larger tears are generally associated with shoulder dislocations and are called Bankart tears.
Shoulder Fractures
Fractures around the shoulder have always been difficult to treat surgically. But with new fixation devices and safer surgical techniques, doctors are now capable of fixing difficult fractures early and allow swifter recoveries from injuries.
