The shoulder is an efficient combination of joints, muscles and tendons that enable a wide variety of movement and range of motion. However, its utility and versatility make the shoulder prone to a variety of injuries and conditions. In fact, shoulder pain will affect up to 70 percent of the population in their lifetime. It can be disabling and result in a host of unwanted consequences.
Below are some of the most common painful shoulder conditions:
Biceps Tendinitis
The biceps tendon is a structure that connects the biceps muscle to the humerus (upper arm bone) bone near the shoulder joint. Biceps tendinitis, a common cause of shoulder pain, is an irritation or inflammation of the upper part of the tendon.
Causes
Often, biceps tendonitis is due to wear and tear. It can also be connected to other shoulder issues, such as instability, shoulder impingement or a rotator cuff injury. It is particularly associated with damage to the rotator cuff tendon.
Repeated motion in work or sport—particularly those activities that require overhead motion, such as construction work, painting, swimming, tennis and baseball—can also cause biceps tendinitis.
Treatments
- Rest (from overhead activity)
- Ice
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injections
Surgery-If more conservative measures have been exhausted, surgery may be indicated. This may entail biceps tenodesis, which is detaching the tendon from the shoulder socket and reattaching it to the upper arm bone.
Rotator Cuff Tear
The rotator cuff is involved every time you move your shoulder. It helps to stabilize the shoulder. So, it stands to reason that it is a commonly injured area. Rotator cuff tears can either be partial or incomplete (a tear that is frayed), or complete, which entails a tear that goes completely through the tendon.
Causes
There are two main causes of rotator cuff tears. They can occur from an acute injury (such as a fall or other cause of severe twisting motion of the joint). An acute injury can also be caused by the stress of improperly lifting a heavy object.
However, most rotator cuff tears occur due to progressive degeneration (wear and tear) over time. The incidence of tears increases with aging. It is important to determine the cause of a rotator cuff tear since this impacts what treatment is recommended.
Treatments
- Rest
- Modified activity
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injections
Surgery: If conservative measures have not offered relief or if the tear is severe, surgery may be indicated. This is particularly the case for athletes or those who engage in repetitive overhead movement, since many tears do not heal on their own.
Shoulder Impingement
Shoulder impingement syndrome, which is also sometimes called “bursitis” or “tendinitis”, occurs with the repetitive compression (“impingement”) of the rotator cuff during movement. A thorough and careful examination is the best approach to a personalized diagnosis.
Causes
Shoulder impingement is also the result of repeated overhead activity involving the shoulder. It can also be caused by a shoulder injury. Finally, in some cases, there is no known cause of the condition.
Treatment
- Rest (from overhead activity)
- Ice
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injections
Surgery: If other treatments do not provide results, surgery may be indicated to increase the space around the rotator cuff. The procedure, which can usually be done with minimally invasive arthroscopy, allows free movement without the compression or rubbing on the bone and the resulting pain.
Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder, technically called adhesive capsulitis, is a condition causing stiffness, pain and immobility in the shoulder joint. It is due to a thickening and tightening of the shoulder joint capsule which restricts room for movement.
Causes
While the causes are usually unclear and cannot be identified, some people suffer frozen shoulder following a recent injury or fracture to the area which resulted in a need to immobilize the shoulder. In about 10 to 20 percent of cases, it can be caused by diabetes. Other medical problems may put people at risk for frozen shoulder (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s and cardiac disease).
Treatments
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Steroid injections
Surgery is rarely required for frozen shoulder. Although recovery can take a long time (up to a couple of years), in the majority of people it resolves on its own with the use of nonsurgical treatments. In the event of surgery, manipulation under anesthesia and/or arthroscopy are performed to release the scar tissue.
If you’re having shoulder pain, contact us today to find out what’s wrong and how we can help.
