Summer is finally here and you might be heading outside to take part in your favourite warm weather sports like swimming, beach volleyball, tennis and golf.
Unfortunately, over the summer months we tend to see an increase in shoulder injuries. One of the reasons for this is that people who don’t normally participate in sports might suddenly start a high impact activity like volleyball or tennis, putting their muscles and soft tissues under tremendous strain.
Often, people can be so eager to get stuck in, they don’t stop to think about warming up their muscles or cooling down at the end. Even if you are accustomed to exercising, an increase in frequency and intensity over the summer months can cause stress injuries, such as ligament tears and stress fractures. And, of course, trauma injuries can occur at any time.
Here are some of the most common shoulder injuries that can occur as the result of playing summer sports:
(1) Rotator cuff tears
Nearly 70% of all the patients we see at Thames Shoulder and Elbow with shoulder pain have rotator cuff problems. The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that keep the ball at the top of the humerus centred in the shoulder socket. It is used for lifting and rotating your arm.
Your rotator cuff can tear due to a stress injury, because of an accident or because you have certain types of inherited bone structure. Partial or microtears are known as tendinopathy. In some cases, the tendon may be ripped away completely and you may also develop subacromial bursitis as a result. A scan will be used to identify the size of the rotator cuff tear. In some cases, you may need surgery to repair it. You may also need surgery to the neighbouring biceps tendon which is often affected at the same time and can develop microtearing or may tear completely.
(2) Dislocated shoulder
The shoulder is the most frequently dislocated joint in the body as it has such a wide range of movement. If you dislocate your shoulder the ball at the top of your upper arm bone pops out of your shoulder socket. A partial dislocation is where the upper arm bone is half in and half out of the shoulder socket. If you are aged under 25, a dislocated shoulder is likely to be accompanied by a labral tear. You are also at high risk of future dislocations. Recurrent dislocations are less likely over the age of 25 although you may be prone to developing a rotator cuff tear.
A dislocated shoulder is common in sports like volleyball and tennis. This is an extremely painful injury that requires immediate medical attention. Do not attempt to move the shoulder or force it back into place as this could damage the shoulder joint and surrounding blood vessels and soft tissues. Your orthopaedic surgeon may be able to manoeuvre the shoulder back into place or you may require surgery. Sometimes you may be able to have keyhole shoulder surgery however, if bone damage has also occurred you may need a Latarjet procedure to stabilise the shoulder joint.
(3) Fractures
There are several different types of fracture that can occur in the shoulder as a result of a sporting injury. Clavicle fractures affect the long thin bone that runs from the breastbone to the shoulder. If this bone is fractured you will have difficulty raising your arm. A proximal humerus fracture is a fracture to the top of the humerus, at or just below the humeral head.
Other humerus fractures may affect the middle portion of the bone (humerus shaft fracture) or the bottom part (distal humerus fracture). Whether they can be treated without surgery depends on the severity and how quickly you need to return to activity. Scapula fractures affect the triangular bone in the upper back, connecting the arm and chest. They are rare but can occur in some types of contact sport. It requires a heavy blow to fracture the scapula so this type of injury may be accompanied by rib fractures or lung or nerve damage.
(4) Muscle strains
These are normally minor injuries that heal by themselves with rest. They are the result of the muscles or tendons being over-stretched, resulting in tears.
Preventing shoulder injuries
Although Thames Shoulder and Elbow offers comprehensive and effective treatments for all types of shoulder injury, it will make for a far more enjoyable summer if you can prevent becoming injured in the first place.
Not all types of injuries are preventable, of course, as accidents do happen but doing some gentle shoulder strengthening exercises can help to prevent tears and dislocations. Stretching your shoulders before you do any kind of sport is recommended as it improve the range of movement and can help protect you against injury. Cooling down at the end of exercise is also important.
If you do get injured during sport, never continue playing as this could make the injury worse and may result in lasting damage. Rest the affected area, take painkillers and use an ice pack to relieve pain and swelling. If it a serious injury or fails to improve with rest, seek medical advice. We are happy to provide diagnosis and treatment for all types of shoulder injury.
Orthopaedic Consultant & Surgeon | London
Thames Shoulder & Elbow are able to provide advice and support to anyone experiencing symptoms affecting the upper limbs (shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm and wrist).
Telephone: 020 376 15987
Email: admin@thamesshoulderandelbow.co.uk
Our Locations
Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, St John’s Wood – Directions
BMI The Syon Clinic, Brentford – Directions
HCA Chiswick Medical Centre, Chiswick – Directions
West Middlesex University Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust, Isleworth – Directions
