Are you living with shoulder pain and stiffness? If so, you’re not alone. Some researchers estimate that shoulder pain affects 18% to 26% of adults at any given time. This is likely due to the shoulder’s wide range of motion—because the shoulder joint is so flexible, it’s relatively unstable and thus more prone to injury. Below, we discuss some of the most common shoulder injuries and explain what treatment typically involves.
Bursitis
Like other joints within the body, the shoulder contains bursae, which are small, fluid-filled sacs that help cushion the surrounding bones, muscles, and tendons. When the bursae become inflamed—often due to repetitive motions or excess pressure—it’s known as bursitis, and it can lead to pain, stiffness, redness, and swelling. This shoulder injury often resolves on its own, but you can encourage healing by resting the shoulder and applying an ice pack or a warm compress. In some cases, physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, or surgery may be necessary.
Dislocated Shoulders
When extreme twisting or a strong impact causes the humerus (upper arm bone) to pop out of the shoulder socket, it can produce a visible deformity, intense pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, swelling, and bruising and make it impossible to move the joint. Shoulder dislocation treatment typically requires maneuvering the bones back into place (closed reduction), so it’s important to promptly consult with an experienced medical provider (in the meantime, you should immobilize the shoulder using a sling or splint and apply an ice pack). In some cases, surgery is necessary to treat this shoulder injury. Notably, once a shoulder dislocates, it’s more likely to pop out of place again in the future, leading to chronic shoulder instability.
Frozen Shoulder
When the shoulder is kept still for an extended period of time—for example, following surgery—it can cause the surrounding tissue to thicken and tighten, making it difficult to move the joint. Frozen shoulder can usually be treated conservatively by taking pain medication, attending physical therapy, or undergoing corticosteroid injections. However, surgery is sometimes needed to loosen the surrounding tissue.
Rotator Cuff Tears
The shoulder joint is surrounded by the rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that help keep the humerus within the shoulder socket. Rotator cuff tears often result from age-related degeneration, but in some cases, these shoulder injuries can be caused by sudden trauma (e.g., falling on an outstretched arm). When the rotator cuff partially or completely tears, it can make it difficult to raise the affected arm, and it can also produce pain, weakness, and a clicking, crackling, or popping sensation. While conservative treatments like pain medication, arm slings, and physical therapy are sometimes effective in relieving symptoms, surgery is often necessary to repair a torn rotator cuff.
Tampa Bay’s Leading Shoulder Injury Specialists
If you’ve sustained one of the shoulder injuries listed above—or any other musculoskeletal injury—you can get the treatment you need at Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group, a division of Florida Medical Clinic. We’ve been serving patients at our Tampa, Florida, office since 1949, making us the city’s oldest orthopaedic center and sports injury clinic, and we remain dedicated to administering progressive, patient-centered care. Our team includes Dr. Daniel Murphy (a board-certified orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon) and Dr. Arnold Ramirez (a board-certified sports medicine doctor), and we have experience treating a wide range of shoulder injuries.
Contact Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group today to schedule an appointment with one of our shoulder injury experts. We welcome patients of all ages, and our office is conveniently located at 602 South Howard Avenue in Tampa, FL.
