Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a common point of pain, especially in athletes. There are many reasons why an athlete would experience shoulder pain, and it’s important to know the proper diagnosis and treatment for each type to prevent further injury and loss in flexibility and strength in the area. Look no further than Manhattan Sports Wellness physical therapy in midtown NYC today!

Causes of Shoulder Injuriesphysical therapy in midtown NYC

Shoulder injuries can be classified into three categories: traumatic, overuse, and inflammatory.

  1. Traumatic – shoulder injuries can range from anything like dislocations or fractures to muscle strains in the deltoid, biceps, tricep, rotator cuff, or back of the shoulder joint. The most common traumatic injury is a rotator cuff tear. This is often caused by repetitive strain of an unbalanced shoulder muscle. Resulting in a more serious tear of the muscle and eventually bone. If the rotator cuff is torn completely, it will require extensive surgery to repair and may end that person’s career as an athlete.
  2. Overuse – can also be caused by not warming up and doing movements the body is not ready for. This results in microscopic tearing of tissue that causes inflammation and pain. If it becomes serious enough, surgery may be required to free the shoulder joint from surrounding scar tissue formation.
  3. Inflammatory – shoulder injuries are much less common than the two prior types of injuries. Inflammatory shoulder problems arise due to an infection or inflammation in the tissue surrounding the shoulder joint. This inflammatory process can cause pain, redness, heat, swelling, and loss of function. 

Shoulder pain can also be attributed to conditions such as nerve impingements or pinched nerves. If the shoulder is not moving properly, this can also cause pain, loss of range of motion and function, and muscle atrophy. General symptoms of these injuries are similar, but it is important to know the difference between them so proper treatment may be administered. However, it is equally important to know if an injury is more serious than the usual overuse or trauma.

Manhattan Sports Medicine – Physical Therapy in Midtown NYC

In conclusion, there are many reasons why an athlete may experience shoulder pain. It’s important to know the proper diagnosis and treatment for each type to prevent further injury and loss of flexibility and strength in the area. Please visit Manhattan Sports Wellness physical therapy in midtown NYC to learn more about shoulder pain!