It’s officially Brewer’s season! With the start of baseball season behind us, we thought it would be a great time to talk a little about shoulder injuries and some preventative measures to take in all overhead throwing athletes. We’ll be going over some of the most common shoulder injuries we see and some things to do to help minimize your risk of injury!

Common Injuries

SLAP Tear- A SLAP tear is an injury to the uppermost piece of cartilage that surrounds the shoulder joint. This upper area is also where the biceps tendon attaches to the cartilage and can also be involved in a SLAP Tear injury. Some of the most common symptoms include pain with lifting objects overhead, decrease in throwing velocity, and a sensation of popping or catching.

Biceps Tendonitis- Biceps tendonitis is inflammation of the biceps muscle where it attaches to the shoulder. This muscle is very prone to inflammation due to its location in the front part of the shoulder. The most common symptoms associated with this is a deep ache directly in the front of the shoulder (that may spread down into the main part of the biceps muscle).

Rotator Cuff Tear- A rotator cuff tear is an injury to the muscles of the shoulder that cause the shoulder to rotate in and out. These muscles are highly susceptible to injury because they are smaller muscles that help stabilize the shoulder joint. The most common symptoms associated with a rotator cuff tear are pain in the shoulder while you are actively moving through a particular range of motion.

Causes

The most common cause of shoulder injuries is due to overuse through repetitive movements (such as with throwing a baseball) or from direct trauma (such as falling on an outstretched arm). The severity of the injury varies greatly and can range from a minor annoyance all the way to full loss of function of the shoulder. In addition, if you have any degree of shoulder instability it increases your risk of injury exponentially. This is because if the shoulder is unstable your body will try to create that lost stability any way it can. Unfortunately, these muscles are not designed to work that way for that long of a time. After you have been doing this for an extended period of time, it will lead to these areas breaking down and becoming painful.

What Can I Do?

The most important thing you can do is to have your shoulder looked at by one of the doctors at Wisconsin Family and Sports Chiropractic. Our doctors have had extra training in shoulder injuries and functional rehabilitation of the shoulder, providing them with an effective set of tools to help treat your injury. No matter if you are diagnosed with a SLAP tear, biceps tendonitis or rotator cuff tear, the doctors are able to provide you with same-day pain relief!