Shoulder injuries are some of the most common and most debilitating injuries that can occur. It can range from simple strains and sprains to more serious and long-term conditions such as rotator cuff tears and labral tears.
Proper assessment and rehabilitation are essential to ensure a full and speedy recovery.
Rehabilitation of shoulder injuries helps to improve the range of motion, reduce pain, decrease the risk of further injury, and restore strength and function.
With proper rehabilitation, patients can often return to their prior level of activity.
Upper Shoulder
The upper shoulder is made up of the clavicle (collarbone), scapula, and humerus. The clavicle is the bone that connects the collarbone to the shoulder.
The scapula is the bone that connects the collarbone to the shoulder blade. The humerus is the bone that extends from the shoulder blade to the elbow. The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint.
The ball side of the shoulder joint is located in the shoulder blade. The socket side of the shoulder joint is located in the upper arm. The shoulder joint allows the arm to move forward, backward, and to the sides.
When injured, this part of the shoulder can be pretty painful. This is because these bones are located close to the nerve that runs down the arm.
Rehabbing the shoulder joint will help to reduce the amount of pain that the injury caused. It can also help to improve the range of motion, strength, and function.
Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Injury
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that connect the humerus to the scapula. It also functions as a joint between the arm and shoulder.
If you have an injury to your rotator cuff, it can cause pain in your shoulder and arm.
A rotator cuff is a group of muscles that are responsible for moving the arm and twisting it. These muscles are located on the back of your upper arm and are called the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.
The rotator cuff is supported by several ligaments including the tendons of the subscapularis muscle, the long head of the biceps tendon, and an intertubercular ligament that connects to the humerus.
Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is a birth injury that can result in permanent paralysis of the upper arm due to damage to the brachial plexus, the network of nerves that control the movement of the arm, shoulder, and hand.
It is caused by trauma to the nerves during the birthing process, usually when an infant’s head and neck are pulled to one side while the shoulders are being delivered.
When parents suspect that the doctor or medical staff may have been at fault for their baby’s Erb’s palsy, they may file a personal injury lawsuit.
In a personal injury lawsuit, the parents can seek compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.
These damages can include the cost of long-term medical care and physical therapy for the child, as well as the emotional trauma and financial strain that can result from the injury.
Parents may also file a medical malpractice lawsuit if they believe that the doctor’s negligence during the birthing process caused their child’s Erb’s palsy.
In a medical malpractice lawsuit, the parents may be able to receive financial compensation for any medical bills related to the birth injury, as well as any long.
Warm-Up and Flexibility Exercises
A good warm-up exercise for your upper body is to start with a few stretches for your shoulders. You can use a resistance band or towel to apply resistance.
You can also perform some light upper body exercises such as biceps curls and triceps extensions.
Strengthening Exercises
After you have finished your warm-up, you should start strengthening exercises for your arm and shoulder muscles.
There are many different types of exercises that can be done to strengthen the muscles in your upper arm.
You can start with exercises that target specific muscles in your arms such as biceps curls or triceps extensions.
As you become stronger, you can move on to exercises that focus on a larger muscle group in your arms such as hammer curls or preacher curls.
Rest, Ice, Compression, and Exercise
After you have finished your strengthening exercise for your arm, it is important to rest for about 24 hours before you start using your arm again.
This allows time for your muscle to heal and for your tendons to heal.
After 24 hours, you can begin using your arm again by performing light bending exercises to warm up.
Then starting with passive range of motion exercises such as wrist curls or wrist rolls. From there, you can move on to active range of motion exercises.
If you have suffered a shoulder injury and have pain in your shoulder, it is important to talk to your doctor about what treatment options are available for you.
Physical therapy can be an effective way to treat many types of shoulder injuries including rotator cuff injuries and shoulder injuries in athletes such as tennis players and golfers.