Numerous individuals seek medical attention each year for shoulder damage, both from sports-related and non-sports-related trauma. You rely on your shoulder for a variety of tasks, even minor ones that you probably don’t even keep in mind until you damage it. To feel better and stop future joint damage, it’s critical to seek medical attention at the first indication of injury.
Here are five signs of a shoulder injury that you need to be aware of:
1. Shoulder pain that extends to your hands, back, and neck
A large ball-and-socket joint takes shape in your shoulder where three bones converge (your arm bone, shoulder blade, and collarbone). Together with these bones, the joint also consists of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other supporting tissues that promote natural, painless mobility.
Because the tissues in your shoulder are interrelated, if you hurt your shoulder, you can also have discomfort in your arm, upper back, or neck in addition to the joint itself. Other symptoms, such as “clicking” sounds or “popping” feelings, might occasionally accompany the pain.
You might only feel discomfort when moving your arm or shoulder, or you can experience persistent pain. If you track when, where, and whether or not your pain is triggered by movement, your doctor can identify the reason and suggest the most effective treatment.
2. Stiffness in the affected shoulder
Most shoulder injuries, in some manner, limit how you can move your shoulder. Your rotator cuff, the group of tendons and muscles that holds your shoulder joint “in place,” has been injured if your shoulder feels stiff when you raise your arm or reach above your head.
Shoulder pain can be caused by injuries to other regions of the shoulder as well as diseases such as arthritis. Together with stiffness, other symptoms such as discomfort, edema, or warmth surrounding the joint may be present.
3. Arm weakness
If you have rotator cuff problems or another tendon, muscle, or nerve injury, you can have trouble moving your arm in different ways. Certain shoulder injuries might produce arm weakness, especially when attempting to elevate your arm or move something above your head.
Arm weakness can be caused by a number of medical issues, including neuromuscular problems and shoulder injuries. As part of your checkup, your doctor will do tests to discover the cause of your issue and advise you on the best course of treatment.
4. Limited mobility
One of your body’s most flexible joints, the shoulder, may move in a range of directions to assist you in carrying out a variety of tasks. Depending on the type of shoulder injury, your ability to rotate your shoulder or raise your arm over your head may have been affected.
Some range-of-motion problems might make it difficult to carry out daily tasks or even basic routines like brushing your hair. Once the initial injury has healed, the majority of treatment approaches incorporate physical therapy to aid in regaining a normal range of motion.
5. Your shoulder is bruised, swollen, or tender
Some shoulder injuries cause noticeable signs like bruising or swelling around the joint. If you only have obvious signs of an injury, the exterior muscles and soft tissues that surround the joint are most likely involved. Yet, if the visible indications are accompanied by pain, the injury is more likely to have compromised the joint structure.
The bottom line
Shoulder injury symptoms can vary widely depending on the kind of injury and its degree. All shoulder injuries have one thing in common: they recover most effectively when addressed immediately. Hence, avoid ignoring your problem to avoid dealing with more severe and hard-to-treat symptoms in the future.
