The shoulder is a very important joint in many sports such as racquet sports, swimming and ball sports. It is an extremely mobile joint and relies on good muscle control to maintain stability.
Certain strenuous activities such as ball throwing, serving in tennis matches and swimming, all of which are done repetitively, could possibly cause shoulder injuries especially if they are not done properly using appropriate biomechanics or techniques. Contact sports such as football could also cause damage to the shoulder as the shoulders can be dislocated given the collisions that the players experience in this sport. It is highly important that these kinds of injuries are treated early as the longer you wait to have them treated the more problematic rehabilitation happens.
The most common injuries that occur at the shoulder are:
Tendinitis
When one frequently and repeatedly use shoulder muscles with the arm above or at shoulder level, tendinitis happens. This kind of injury happens when you over use the shoulder or when there is improper biomechanics. Usually, treatments used for this kind of injury involve the use of ice and massage and, of course, avoidance of activities that could stress the shoulder muscles. If this happens because of improper biomechanics, then the patient should be taught on how to correct this.
Impingement
Occurs commonly in tennis players, swimmers (Swimmers Shoulder), weight lifters, or any athlete who does repetitive, stressful movement of the shoulder joint. Impingement occurs when there is a trapping of the tendons of the rotator cuff between the humerus and the end of the collar bone.
The problem can be further complicated by irregular bony outgrowths which are often present in older people.
When the arm is moved upwards and rotated inwards (e.g. freestyle swimming) the soft tissues are compressed. Repeated movement and compression leads to inflammation and swelling, which further increases the impingement.
This condition can be prevented by a proper warm-up and stretches, appropriate strength training, and decreasing repetitive shoulder movements. Treatment of impingement is similar to that of tendonitis, with a greater emphasis on correction of biomechanical problems.
The causes of Shoulder Pain are numerous, and injuries need to be accurately diagnosed before the appropriate treatment can be implemented. In addition to this, any technical or biomechanical problems should be fully assessed by your therapist in consultation with your coach.
Common treatment for shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff problems, is Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN).
TDN involves the use of a fine filament needle (acupuncture needle) to deactivate tight and tender trigger points within a muscle. Deactivating the trigger point improves muscle function and aids recovery.
