If you are like most people, you probably take your shoulders for granted and never think about them; they are just there. You may only begin to appreciate their importance when you feel a stab of pain or find that you cannot reach a can on the top shelf of the pantry or swing your tennis racket the way you normally do.
Shoulder Anatomy
Your shoulders are multi-directional, free-moving, ball-and-socket joints. They are less stable than other joints and more easily injured. The muscles and tendons in your shoulders make up the rotator cuffs. Mayo Clinic explains that these soft-tissue elements connect your upper arms to your shoulder blades and help hold the balls of the joints in the sockets. Damage or injury to either the joint or the rotator cuff can cause severe shoulder pain and decrease your range of motion.
Arthritis
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, three types of arthritis can affect the shoulder. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease that can affect people of any age. Osteoarthritis generally affects people who are over 50. It differs from rheumatoid arthritis in that it is a degenerative condition caused by normal wear and tear on the joints over the course of time. Post-traumatic arthritis develops as the result of an injury. It is not systemic and only affects joints that have been injured.
Inflammation
Bursitis and tendinitis are types of inflammation. The cushion-like sac of fluid that facilitates movement between the bones of your shoulder and the surrounding muscles and tendons is a bursa. If trauma or overuse causes it to become inflamed, you develop bursitis. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital explains that impingement syndrome, which also causes bursitis, results from excessive friction between the shoulder blade and rotator cuff. Tendinitis is inflammation of the tendons, bands of tough tissue that attach your muscles to your bones. Repetitive motions, such as those required by tennis or golf, can cause tendinitis.
Injuries
An impact injury can cause a crack or break in one of the shoulder bones. An orthopedic surgeon should examine any suspected fracture. Dislocation also requires medical attention. This injury occurs when the ball of the shoulder joint is forcibly separated from the socket. When the ligaments attached to your collarbone tear away from your shoulder blade, partially or completely, your shoulder has separated. In spite of the horrific description, Mayo Clinic says that a separated shoulder does not usually require surgery and responds well to at-home treatment. Trauma or repetitive arm movements can damage or irritate the muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff. Some rotator cuff injuries require surgery, but about half heal themselves with therapeutic exercises and home care.
Treatment
Minor shoulder problems respond well to home treatment. MedlinePlus, a service of The U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, recommends RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. In addition, use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs to help control pain. If these treatments are ineffective, consult your health-care provider who can prescribe stronger medicine or steroid injections and arrange for physical therapy if you need it.
Sources:
- MedlinePlus: Shoulder Joint
- Mayo Clinic: Rotator Cuff Injury
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: Overview of Shoulder Problems
- NIAMS: Bursitis and Tendinitis
- Mayo Clinic: Dislocated Shoulder
- Mayo Clinic: Separated Shoulder
- MedlinePlus: Shoulder Disorders and Injuries
Resources:
FamilyDoctor.org: Shoulder Pain
Drugs.com: Passive Range of Motion Exercises
Margo Steele - Margo Steele has many interests and writes about all of them - at one time or another.
