Keeping Athletes in the Game: Shoulder Injury and Pain Prevention
Improve your performance by practicing these preventative steps from our occupational therapists
If you’re an athlete, the last thing you want is to be taken out of the game. While injuries may not always be at the top of your mind, they can put you on the sidelines for days, weeks, or even months! That’s why athlete shoulder injury prevention is crucial to keeping you in the game.
Your shoulders can accomplish several physical feats, like throwing, reaching, pushing, and pulling. However, due to the structure and complexity of the shoulder joint, it is also more susceptible to the risk of injury.
In sports, your shoulder can become injured from traumatic events like a sudden blow to the shoulder or repetitive overuse-type injuries from throwing a baseball or swinging a golf club. Whether you’re playing baseball, tennis, football, or another sport that involves upper extremity use, the shoulder joint and surrounding soft tissues (muscles, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments) can be damaged.
Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid shoulder pain and injuries from happening so you can achieve your best performance! Our therapists at Cascade Hand & Orthopedic Rehab in FL can educate you on sports safety and help you recover safely and successfully if a shoulder injury occurs.
Call us today to set up an appointment with one of our specialists!
Common Shoulder-Related Sports Injuries
Part of an athlete’s shoulder injury prevention is recognizing the signs and symptoms of different sports-related injuries. That way, you can stop an injury from getting worse if you suspect that one has occurred.
Some common shoulder injuries that happen during sports include:
- Rotator cuff tear: A rotator cuff tear occurs in the tissues connecting muscle to bone (tendons) around the shoulder joint. An acute or sudden injury can occur from a single incident, like a hard fall on an outstretched arm or a powerful pull on the arm, common in contact sports like football and rugby. Whereas, an overuse-type injury is the result of repetitive overhead motions that can lead to strain and tears in the rotator cuff. This is common in sports such as swimming, baseball (especially in pitchers), tennis, and weightlifting.
- Shoulder impingement: Weakness in the shoulder stabilizing muscles can alter the movement patterns of the shoulder and lead to impingement. Using improper technique or form during sports or exercises can put unnecessary stress on the shoulder, leading to impingement. Impingement is especially common in sports like swimming, baseball, tennis, volleyball, and weightlifting.
- Shoulder Instability: Sudden, forceful impacts or falls during sports like football, rugby, or hockey can cause acute dislocation, leading to shoulder instability. This could also occur in sports like skiing or snowboarding, where falls are common.
A history of shoulder dislocations or subluxations significantly increases the risk of future instability. This is often seen in athletes who return to play too soon after a shoulder injury before the shoulder has had adequate time to heal and regain strength.
Our occupational therapists at Cascade Hand & Orthopedic Rehab in FL can help if you’ve been dealing with shoulder pain or an injury. We’ll assess your condition and help you return to your favorite sport!
Tips for Shoulder Injury Prevention in Athletes
There are some ways that you can practice athlete shoulder injury prevention during athletics. These include:
- Warm-Up and Stretch: Always begin your sports activities with a thorough warm-up session to prepare your muscles and joints for the demands of your sport. Focus on exercising the muscles around the shoulder joint, including the rotator cuff muscles.
- Strength Training: If you’re active in sports, it’s always smart to participate in regular strength training exercises that target the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, such as the rotator cuff muscles, deltoids, and upper back muscles. Strong and balanced muscles provide stability and support to the shoulder, reducing your injury risk. Your occupational therapist can teach you more about strength training and how to participate.
- Use Proper Technique: Learn and practice the correct techniques for your specific sport. Improper form and technique can put too much stress on the shoulder joint and increase your risk of injury.
- Practice Gradual Progression: Avoid overexertion and allow your body to adapt to the demands of your sport gradually. Sudden intensity, duration, or training frequency increases can overload the shoulder and lead to injury. Gradually progress your training program under the guidance of your therapist.
- Use Proper Equipment: Ensure you use the appropriate equipment, appropriate fitting of protective gear, and well-maintained sports equipment.
How Occupational Therapy Can Help with Shoulder Pain Prevention and Relief
When it comes to preventing sports injuries, our experts at Cascade Hand & Orthopedic Rehab in FL can guide you in the right direction. We can help you determine the most effective athlete shoulder injury prevention measures depending on your sport, physical capabilities, and other health factors.
Our occupational therapists can help you recover safely and transition back to sports. Your therapist will start with a comprehensive evaluation and physical examination. Based on this assessment, they will design a program that focuses on pain relief, strengthening, and functional integration, all key rehabilitation aspects.
Our programs typically incorporate manual therapy, joint mobilizations, and targeted exercise instructions for pain relief and improved functional mobility. Depending on your injury, we may integrate custom braces and joint splinting to protect the injured area and improve function. Education is always a large component of therapy, as it’s important to teach you how to manage symptoms independently.
There will often be certain modifications to change how your activities are, which ensures a positive outcome. Our therapists will tailor your treatment plan to your limitations, restrictions, and weaknesses. Our ultimate goal is to maximize your function while eliminating pain and discomfort.
Call Today to Request an Appointment
Learning how to avoid injuries is an essential component of sports. Fortunately, our treatments combined with an emphasis on athlete shoulder injury prevention at Cascade Hand & Orthopedic Rehab in FL can help you learn how to stay safe on the field without getting hurt!
Call us today to learn more about how you can prevent your chances of sports-related injuries.