Recognizing Your Shoulder Injury

In our day-to-day lives, it can be easy to forget just how much we involve certain muscles in our mundane activities. One of the best examples of this is the shoulder. We won't often realize it's even in use when doing simple things like driving, picking up a water bottle, or even just sitting on the couch using an armrest. This can make it pretty bothersome to injure the area. But how bad has it been hurt, and what type of injury is it? Figuring this out is the first step to healing.

Sometimes it isn't easy to determine the origin of shoulder pain. There may not be an instant reaction to an activity or motion that immediately leads to pain, yet one day you just notice it's there. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons lists potential warning signs of shoulder injuries one should ask themselves; "Is my shoulder stiff? Can I rotate my arm in all the normal positions? Does it feel like my shoulder could pop out or slide out of the socket? Do I lack the strength in my shoulder to carry out my daily activities?" These can all be signs of a shoulder injury. But how do you know what type?

As also stated by the AAOS, "Most problems in the shoulder involve the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, rather than the bones. Sometimes, a person will suffer a fracture, or break, of the humerus (arm bone) or glenoid (shoulder socket) that involves the bones of the shoulder." The most common types of shoulder damage are sprains, dislocations, fractures, tears, bursitis, impingement, and tendinitis. These different conditions can be identified in a few ways. According to Seaview Orthopedics, "Physicians evaluate a damaged shoulder with imaging (such as an X-ray), observation of any physical signs like inflammation or deformity, and confirming with the patient the details of any injuries they may have suffered."

We'll begin with impingement. As stated by Beacon Orthopedics, "Shoulder impingement occurs when one or more rotator cuff tendons get trapped and pinched between shoulder bones during arm movement, causing extreme pain and swelling/inflammation of the rotator cuff." Impingement is often characterized by weakness in the shoulder, pain when raising arms, and a pinching type of feeling in the area when in motion.

Next is the rotator cuff tear. This occurs when a tendon of the rotator cuff rips, typically being caused by repeated overhead motion, and can be either a partial tear or a complete tear. This injury is typically characterized by an ache in the shoulder area, difficulty during movement (especially overhead), and even pain after lying on the injured shoulder. Beacon orthopedics also states, "It’s possible for a patient to have a partial-thickness rotator cuff tear without even realizing it." This harkens back to earlier where we mentioned that some shoulder injuries won't be immediately noticed but will shows signs sometime later, leading to confusion on why the person suddenly has pain.

When it comes to sprains, there is a key difference between them and sprains. Seaview Ortho describes the difference between sprains and strains, stating "a shoulder sprain refers to a torn upper extremity ligament, as opposed to a shoulder strain, which is the same type of injury to a muscle or tendon in the shoulder." Noticeable symptoms of a sprain include swelling, bruising, and light pain.

If you sustain a shoulder dislocation, you will notice an immediate intense pain, inability to move the shoulder/arm, swelling, numbness or tingling, and visible deformity. Per the Cleveland Clinic, "Dislocations happen when something pushes the bones in your shoulder joint out of their usual place. Falls, sports injuries and car accidents are the most common causes. A shoulder dislocation is an injury that happens when the ball and socket connection between your bones is separated. It can also damage the tissue around your shoulder joint".

A shoulder fracture occurs when one of the 3 bones located in the shoulder- the proximal humerus, scapula, and clavicle- experiences a break. The Cleveland Clinic states these injuries are "usually caused by traumas like car accidents or sports injuries." Symptoms include pain, bruising and swelling, lack of mobility, and even visibly deformity.

Our last 2 injuries are shoulder tendinitis and bursitis. According to Seaview Ortho, "Tendinitis refers to tendon disorders that cause swelling, and as a result, also cause pain and functional impairment." Meanwhile, bursitis occurs when the lining of the bursae gets inflamed due to infection or too much friction. When it comes to symptoms, per the Cleveland Clinic, "because the bursae facilitate joint movement, bursitis makes motion much more painful and difficult." By comparison, tendinitis symptoms include stiffness and burning sensations in the injured area.

The severity of factors like pain and debilitation will help in determining when and if you should see a medical professional for these injuries. Per the AAOS, "In general, a good rule to follow is that any discomfort that does not improve with a period of rest, icing, and anti-inflammatory medications may be a sign of a more serious injury — and a reason to see a shoulder specialist." It's important when you notice a change in your shoulder's health and general function, you keep an eye on it to see how it reacts to your everyday activities.