Have you ever had a painful shoulder injury that took a long time to heal? The shoulder is composed of three different bones — the scapula, clavicle, and humerus. When one of these bones or the tissues surrounding them is injured, it can lead to major discomfort and a lengthy healing process.

If you’re currently enduring a shoulder injury, you may be wondering exactly what has been affected and the impact it could have. To better understand your shoulder injury, take a look at the various types of injuries that can be found in the shoulder.

Types of Shoulder Injuries

There are a wide variety of ways that an injury to the shoulder can present, but the following are some of the most common types of shoulder injuries:

Sprains or Strains

Strains and sprains refer to stretched or torn ligaments. A sprain in the shoulder can occur in the ligaments that connect bones to the shoulder joint, leading to swelling, bruising, and pain. These types of injuries usually occur from minor falls or twists.

Dislocations

Dislocations happen when the ball of your shoulder pops out of the shoulder’s socket. This may be a full dislocation or a partial dislocation. With a partial dislocation, the ball is only slightly out of the socket. In a full dislocation, the ball is completely separated from the socket.

Breaks and Fractures

Fractures and breaks can occur in any of the three shoulder bones. They typically happen to people with low bone density or osteoporosis but can also occur as a sports injury. Fractures can be open or compound, with the bone breaking through the skin.

Tendonitis

Tendons are the flexible bands of tissue that connect your muscles to the bones that surround them. The role of tendons is to help the muscles move your bones in various directions.

When tendonitis occurs, the tendon swells and causes pain or discomfort. Tendonitis in the shoulder usually happens with repetitive movements like throwing a ball, swinging a bat, and more.

Bursitis

Bursas are small, fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between bones and other moving tissues like muscles, tendons, and skin. Bursitis is a condition that occurs when the bursas become inflamed from overuse of a joint or injury to the surrounding tissues. This usually happens in the knees or elbows but can also affect the shoulders.

Torn Rotator Cuff

Torn rotator cuffs are among the most common shoulder injuries. The rotator cuff is the part of your shoulder joint that holds the upper arm tightly into the socket and keeps it stable during periods of movement. When your rotator cuff is injured, it can lead to major pain and limited mobility in your arm.

Treating Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries can be treated in a number of ways, depending on the type of injury. Anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, and surgical intervention are all options, but regenerative medicine like stem cell therapy or PRP injections may also be an approach to explore as alternative options for healing potential.

This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions. We also offer Personalized Pain Management In St Petersburg FL