Injuries to Your Shoulder Ligaments and What to Do About Them
Almost every injury related to the shoulder involves the shoulder ligaments. Sprains, dislocations and tears all happen within and around the ligaments that help keep the humorous bone in the shoulder blade socket.
Shoulder ligaments are thickened tissue that surround the tip or head of the humorous bone and hold it in the shoulder socket. They tighten under use and work to provide the range of motion within the joint. There different shoulder ligaments that attach on all sides - the anterior for the front, the posterior for the back and the interior for the bottom or front side.
In most shoulder dislocations, the humorous is popped out of joint going forward and down. This almost always tears the anterior shoulder ligaments which were stiffened at the time of impact or injury.
The posterior should ligament helps to stop the shoulder joint from excessive rotating. This doesn’t often get torn in a dislocation, but it can get very tight with repetitive movement, such as in baseball pitching or other such activities. When that ligament gets stressed to the maximum too often, it will become stiff and inoperable.
The interior shoulder ligament is not very often involved in injury. It hangs down below the humorous tip and works hard when lifting your arm above your head. The head of the humorous is then held in place by the interior ligament and all is well. At times, the interior ligament can get over used and a stiff or frozen shoulder feeling is reported.
It’s important to reduce the occurrence of shoulder injury by toning and exercising the muscles, tendons and ligaments in the shoulder. If the shoulders are not moved enough, the ligaments weaken and cannot support the shoulder. Focusing special attention on the rotator cuff muscles will help the whole area to be strong and flexible.
Aquatic sports, such as diving, swimming or water aerobics can help to strength the muscles without providing any wear and tear on them. Many athletes who’ve suffered injuries with a negative or limiting diagnosis have used water sports or exercise as a great workout.
Trying to avoid repetitive movement in your day and using the alternative side of your body can help to delay or escape injury of the ligaments. The more you rest it, the weaker it becomes. But it’s also highly important to keep the arm muscles in shape.
The bad news is that torn ligaments don’t heal. What you need to do with torn ligaments is improve the support of the ligaments around it, maintain muscle strength and limit motion that causes pain. A good sports medicine doctor will prescribe physical therapy that will work to build a net around the tear, creating a support.
A torn shoulder ligament will be sighted in an MRI and treatment started right away. Sometimes the injury may make a popping or loud, squished sound and you may be surprised at the little force that it took to tear. You’ve been wearing away at the ligaments for many years and suddenly a simple thing can tear it.
Any physical therapy that is recommended needs to be done with diligence and commitment, otherwise the shoulder may not heal. Surgery can also be helpful in reattaching the ligaments, supporting the surrounding are and hopefully correcting any issues that contributed to the torn ligaments.
The shoulder is an incredible area of the body, with the versatility and range of movement in it. Shoulder ligaments add needed support and limits so that the entire system runs well. With sensible use, you may never have to experience the pain of shoulder injuries. If a torn ligament does occur, remember to rest, apply ice and any anti-inflammatory needed.
Your shoulder ligaments will stay working well with some tender loving care.