Learn what you can do to protect your body’s most movable joint.
The shoulder is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has the largest range of motion of any joint in the body”- Dr. Uma Srikumaran.
Falls and accidents can at the very least lead to inflammation and pain in the shoulder as well as traumatic type shoulder injuries (fractures, dislocations or large rotator cuff tears that may require surgery to fix.
Sports (tennis, incorrectly lifting weights…) can lead to faster degeneration of tissues than in the general population. It can lead to more frequent pain related to inflammation.
To avoid shoulder injuries related to sports or any activity, give yourself a long, slow, steady ramp-up to your desired activity level. Ensure that you have good motion and flexibility of your shoulder and body in general by stretching and doing core exercises. Then slowly ramp up the time and intensity of the new activity.
To treat shoulder pain: rest, ice or heat, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, PT, steroid injections and finally surgery.
Source: Dr Uma Srikumaran, professor of Orthopedic surgery at John Hopkins School of Medecine.
