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Shoulder injuries and shoulder pain are relatively common among athletes and can range widely in their severity and symptoms. In many cases, it can be difficult to diagnose the specific type of shoulder injury when it first occurs, so early evaluation and intervention by an orthopedic sports medicine specialist is essential.

Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain in athletes are shoulder dislocations, acromioclavicular joint injuries, rotator cuff tendonitis and tears, labral and superior labral anteroposterior tears, fractures and arthritis as well as activity-specific injuries such as “thrower’s shoulder,” “swimmer’s shoulder” and “rugby shoulder,” among others.

Shoulder Dislocations

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body, which also makes it the most vulnerable to dislocation. Shoulder dislocations can be caused by major trauma as well as by seemingly atraumatic or non-traumatic factors.

In terms of athletes, traumatic dislocations are the most common type of dislocation, and this type of injury generally ensues as a result of a certain force, such as a hard tackle, pulling the shoulder out of the joint. This can be highly painful, and after the shoulder has been “popped” back into place, it might be necessary to wear a sling around your arm and shoulder, ice your shoulder regularly, rest and see a physical therapist, especially since once a shoulder has been dislocated, the chance of it happening again is greatly increased.

Rotator Cuff Tendonitis and Rotator Cuff Tears

Two other relatively common injuries among athletes are rotator cuff tears and rotator cuff tendonitis, also known as subacromial impingement, bursitis, impingement syndrome and supraspinatus tendonitis.

The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that provide stability and movement to the shoulder, and injuries to the rotator cuff can result in severe shoulder pain and weakness. Rotator cuff tendonitis in athletes is commonly caused by repeated heavy lifting or overhead throwing. These movements can cause inflammation of the rotator cuff and cause pain radiating from the front of the shoulder to the side of the arm during active use of the shoulder and during rest.

If left untreated, rotator cuff tendonitis may result in loss of strength and motion of the shoulder. For both rotator cuff tendonitis and tears, arthroscopic surgery may be needed, so a sports medicine or orthopedic trauma physician should be consulted immediately after an injury occurs or after the initial pain develops.

Labral and SLAP Tears

Aside from the rotator cuff, tears can occur in several other structures of the shoulder as well, such as labral tears and superior labral anteroposterior (SLAP) tears. The labrum is the “cushion” surrounding the socket of the shoulder joint, and in SLAP tears, the top (superior) part of the labrum is injured. Labral tears commonly develop after a fall or direct blow to the shoulder but may also develop as a result of throwing or pulling injuries. SLAP tears are frequently observed in athletes engaging in overhead throwing (such as in baseball), heavy lifting or tackling sports like rugby. Similarly to rotator cuff tears, arthroscopic surgery may be needed to treat labral or SLAP tears.

There are numerous other injuries and causes of shoulder pain in athletes than those mentioned above, so if you are experiencing persistent or severe shoulder pain, make an appointment with a sports injury doctor sooner rather than later. As with everything else, prevention (or at the very least, early detection and intervention) is often the best treatment strategy, and by effectively stretching and strengthening your shoulders and arms, the risk of sustaining some of these injuries can be reduced.

Common Shoulder Injuries for Athletes

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Shoulder injuries and shoulder pain are relatively common among athletes and can range widely in their severity and symptoms. In many cases, it can be difficult to diagnose the specific type of shoulder injury when it first occurs, so early evaluation and intervention by an orthopedic sports medicine specialist is essential.

Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain in athletes are shoulder dislocations, acromioclavicular joint injuries, rotator cuff tendonitis and tears, labral and superior labral anteroposterior tears, fractures and arthritis as well as activity-specific injuries such as “thrower’s shoulder,” “swimmer’s shoulder” and “rugby shoulder,” among others. (more…)

Don’t Wait Too Long for Joint Replacement

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Joint replacement surgery, particularly of the knee and hip, is becoming increasingly common in the United States. Almost 5 percent of all Americans over the age of 50 have reportedly undergone total knee replacement with more than 600,000 Americans undergoing knee replacement each year. Hip replacement surgery, which is the second most common joint replacement surgery, is performed on approximately 120,000 people every year in the U.S.

The leading cause of joint replacement is osteoarthritis, which is characterized by the inflammation of certain joints. Osteoarthritis is generally caused by wear and tear or by previous trauma to the affected body part. (more…)

About Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery

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Minimally invasive spinal surgery, or MISS for short, is a surgical method used to treat a variety of spinal disorders. It is characterized not only by the use of a smaller incision than in conventional open spinal surgery, but also by the use of advanced technology and innovative techniques. According to our Florida orthopedic specialists, the main goal of MISS is to minimize muscle and soft tissue damage caused by the surgery while accomplishing results equivalent to those of conventional open spinal surgery.

During MISS, a number of different techniques can be used depending on the condition being treated. In general, a tubular access approach is utilized. By using a tubular retractor, the force on the muscles around the incision is divided more equally than during open surgery, thus creating less localized pressure and reducing the risk of muscle and soft tissue damage. In some cases, MISS may be performed using endoscopy, which involves a tiny video camera guiding the orthopedic surgeon by displaying the internal view on several monitors in real-time, or by fluoroscopy, which is a type of intraoperative real-time X-ray.

MISS can be used to treat a number of different disorders, including degenerative discs, herniated discs, spinal tumors and compression fractures. It commonly involves either decompression, which is used to alleviate the pressure of the spinal cord or nerve roots, or fusion, which is used to stabilize and/or fixate the spine.

(more…)

Advice for Parents of Fall Sport Athletes

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With fall quickly approaching, this is the perfect time to get your child or teenager ready for their fall activities. Particularly for older children who may have tryouts coming up soon, it is important to start preparing in order for them to be ready and to reduce the risk of them sustaining various types of sports injuries. In order to help your child get the most of their sports experience, our Florida orthopedic specialists recommend you keep these six things in mind. (more…)

Is It Better To Exercise in the Morning or at Night?

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The benefits of regular exercise include weight control, improved sleep, mood and energy levels, and a reduced risk of numerous diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis and various bone and muscular disorders.

In terms of weight loss, the experts at our Jacksonville clinic have found no solid evidence suggesting that either morning or nighttime exercise is greatly superior for burning calories. However, some studies have found that there may be a difference in terms of the consistency of exercising, which in turn may translate to increased fitness and weight loss.  (more…)

How Obesity in Children Puts Their Muscoloskeletal Systems at Risk

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In the last 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in the United States, and the number of obese teenagers has increased four-fold! In 2012, roughly 20% of all American children and teenagers aged six to 19 were obese, and over one-third were either overweight or obese. These numbers are startling to say the least, especially considering the numerous and significant adverse effects on health that have been demonstrated to result from obesity, as well as the negative effects obesity can have on a child’s confidence and psychological wellbeing.

In addition to greatly increasing the risks of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and certain cancers in adulthood, obesity in children has also been demonstrated in a number of scientific studies to put their musculoskeletal system at risk and to increase the risk of orthopedic trauma.

(more…)

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