INTRODUCTION TO SHOULDER INJURIES
This series on injuries serves to highlight a few common, every-day injuries and provide some background. Any physical damage should be dealt with by a medical practitioner or trained physiotherapist, who will recommend if any specialist intervention is required.
This is not an exhaustive list and does not contain comprehensive detail. The selection of injuries will be added to on an ad hoc, but regular basis.
A quick look at shoulder injuries
The shoulder joint (or glenohumeral joint) permits the greatest range of motion of any joint. Because it is also the most frequently dislocated joint, we see that stability must be sacrificed to obtain mobility. There are, however, major ligaments that help to stabilise the shoulder. The shoulder joint consists of 3 bone structures: humerus, scapula and clavical.
There are a variety of shoulder injuries which can occur for both men and women in this area and only a physical examination or X-rays can determine what is amiss, with various tests being done in both instances.
For example, after bicycle wrecks, contact sport and car accidents, a person may tear one or a few ligaments, which can then lead to a painful and stiff shoulder which can affect everyday activities.
Other conditions are tendonitis, injuries of the clavicle or rotator cuff, shoulder dislocation, as well as “swimmers shoulder” resulting from the requirement of the shoulder area to achieve above average flexibility, range of motion and propulsion.