Shoulder injuries can be incapacitating as well as extremely painful. At the offices of Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, where we are dedicated to nonsurgical healing, we offer many treatment options to alleviate the pain of shoulder injuries and accelerate the healing process, such as customized physical therapy, acupuncture, platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), steroid injections, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF). If you have suffered a shoulder injury, contact us to receive rapid pain relief and shorten your recovery.
Common Shoulder Injuries
Some people are more prone to shoulder injuries than others, either because of congenital abnormalities, previous damage, or osteoarthritis that has weakened the joint. In any event, shoulder injuries require prompt medical attention, including proper diagnosis and treatment.
Below are some of the most common shoulder injuries:
Shoulder Separation
Shoulder separation typically occurs during a fall when the injured party lands on the top of their shoulder, impacting the acromioclavicular joint, where the shoulder blade (scapula) and the collar bone (clavicle) connect. When the ligaments that hold this joint in place are damaged or torn, shoulder separation occurs.
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder dislocation involves a separation of the bones of the ball and socket (glenohumeral) joint, the major joint of the shoulder. In most cases, a shoulder dislocation is the result of a forceful impact that occurs when an outstretched arm, intended to break the fall, collides with the ground or another obstacle. Not only is a shoulder dislocation very painful but it causes the shoulder to be unsteady and typically immovable. Other symptoms may be weakness and numbness of the arms, fingers, or neck.
Shoulder Fracture
Trauma may result in a fracture of either the humerus (the “ball”) or glenoid (“socket) bones of the shoulder. Because almost 80 percent of shoulder fractures are non-displaced, meaning that fractured bones remain in a normal position, the majority of shoulder fractures can mend without surgery as long as they are immobilized. In both shoulder dislocations and shoulder fractures, the shoulder or upper back may appear deformed and swollen as well as painful. If the patient is able to move the shoulder at all, movement may be accompanied by a grinding sensation.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
The group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint is known as the rotator cuff. The function of the rotator cuff is to keep the “ball” of the upper arm bone (humerus) firmly embedded within the socket of the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears are more common in individuals who have already suffered tendon damage due to sports injuries or repetitive wear and tear caused by heavy lifting or overhead activity.
Impingement Syndrome
Impingement syndrome is another name for tendonitis of the rotator cuff. It has several possible causes, such as:
- Poor posture
- Repetitive overhead movement
- Sleeping on the same arm every night
Though not as serious as some shoulder injuries, left untreated impingement syndrome may result in lost range of motion, making ordinary activities more difficult.
Shoulder Bursitis
Throughout our bodies, small, fluid-filled sacs known as bursae provide cushioning between bones and skin and between tendons and muscles at the joints. When bursae become inflamed, they fail to reduce friction and reduce shock within the joints, resulting in the pain and swelling known as bursitis.
Contact Our Experienced Shoulder Injury Doctors Today
At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, we offer excellent diagnoses as well as a variety of therapeutic treatments so your shoulder injury will be in good hands. Once we have accurately diagnosed your shoulder injury, we will discuss which traditional and complementary therapies will help relieve your pain and restore your mobility most effectively. We will tailor a plan using a combination of treatments to meet your unique needs. Contact us now to get the weight of the world off your shoulder.