Shoulder Injuries

Though completely covered by thick, tough muscles, the shoulder is a commonly injured body part. Routine x-rays often show nothing unusual at all, yet the shoulder continues to hurt. The most common cause of pain is the throwing motion, usually caused when pitching or throwing a baseball, hurling a football, or serving a tennis ball. These actions involve pulling the arm back behind ones body and accelerating forward at a high rate of speed. This torsional stress can cause excessive stretching of the shoulder, over rotation of the shoulder joint as well as tiny ligament ruptures and bursae irritation. Another common cause of shoulder discomfort are pinched nerves in the vacinity of the shoulder joint. Activies like golf can also cause discomfort if a proper stretching routine is not followed.

The best treatments for shoulder injuries are rest and ice. Sometimes surgery might be necessary, and other times over the counter medication and physical therapy can be used. A doctor should be consulted if the pain continues for more than a couple of days. Stretching and adjustments in sports or physical activity should be seriously considered.