So, let’s take a deep breath, let those shoulders relax as much as possible and look at the most common shoulder injuries that you might face. We’ll talk about injury prevention, home remedies, when you should get to the doctor for shoulder pain, and importantly, how to prevent it from happening again.

What Are the Three Most Common Shoulder Injuries?

People often mistake neck and shoulder pain due to the area connected by many nerves that are linked closely. There are three categories that most injuries will fall into. This includes rotator cuff tears, Superior Labral Anterior and Posterior (SLAP) tears, and shoulder dislocation. Keep reading to see what to expect from each one.

Rotator Cuff Tears

Do you swim, play tennis, or love another sport that requires repetitive movement? You’re at risk for a rotator cuff tear. You might feel this all of a sudden or experience a gradual tearing over months. It is important to seek treatment for rotator cuff tears as soon as you can, such as PRP injections.

Superior Labral Anterior and Posterior (SLAP) Tears

SLAP tears are also common in sports but are more often linked to overhead movements like you’d make in baseball or similar sports. Like rotator cuff tears you might experience it suddenly or find that it gets slowly and progressively worse over months. In the case of SLAP tears, a gradual tear is more common.

Shoulder Dislocation and Chronic Instability

When you fall or crash into someone, shoulder dislocations or subluxations (partial dislocations) are possible risks. This is a common injury when you play contact sports. Compared to a tear, this is an entirely different sensation that will be sharply painful and require urgent care to treat shoulder dislocation. In a small proportion of patients, a sensation of clicking or popping in the joint may be indicative of posterior instability.

You can do some stretches according to this video by Ray of Health if you’re experiencing frozen shoulder or rotator cuff tears.

How Do I Know If My Shoulder Is Seriously Injured?

When it comes to injuries the first and most important thing to establish is the severity. If you’re feeling in serious pain and are questioning your injury, there are a few things to consider.

Is this pain intense?
Is your movement severely limited?
Is it swollen?
Did you hear or feel a popping sensation?
Do you have numbness or weakness in your arm or fingers?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, it’s time to see a doctor. When it comes to your health, you’re better safe than sorry. No information online can replace the tools and experience that your doctor has.

When you’re feeling intense pain or can’t move your shoulder well, there’s a good chance that you have a tear. Strains and sprains are less common but possible. A sprain will be milder in terms of pain, swelling, and loss of movement. Meanwhile, a strain will give you severe pain, swelling, and loss of movement.

Shoulder injuries are common among athletes and active individuals, and can often result from sports injuries or overuse. Golfer’s elbow and Tennis elbow are another common injury that can affect athletes, particularly those who play sports that involve repetitive gripping and forearm motions. In addition, athletes are also at risk for developing knee arthritis, a condition characterized by inflammation and pain in the knee joint. Knee arthritis treatment may involve a combination of medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes to manage symptoms and prevent further damage to the knee joint, such as torn meniscus or ACL tears. If you suspect you might have a knee injury, talk to our ACL tear specialist today for a diagnosis.

We also talk about whether it’s possible for ACL tears to heal on it’s own, in this article.

How Long Does a Shoulder Injury Take to Heal?

Every case is different and will depend on your specific injury as well as your age and overall health. Very generally speaking, a mild tear or sprain will heal within a month in most cases. If it’s a more severe injury, it could take up to six months or more to heal.

Proper diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare are central to the healing process so talk to a professional if the pain is severe or long-lasting. The doctor will conduct multiple tests such as MRI and X-ray. You can check out our Chiropractor vs Osteopath vs Physiotherapist article to find your ideal professional.

How Do I Know What Type of Shoulder Injury I Have?

When you’re experiencing pain, it’s essential to pay close attention to the symptoms. They’ll help you decide what kind of injury you have.

You might have a rotator cuff tear if you feel:

Dull, aching pain even when you’re resting
Increasing pain when you raise your them
Pain that makes it hard to sleep at night
Weakness that makes it difficult to even raise your arm
Clicking or popping sounds or sensations when you move

You might have a SLAP tear if you feel:

Popping, grinding or locking sensations
Pain that is relieved by not moving your shoulder
Feelings of weakness in your biceps muscle
A sensation of instability as if your shoulder could pop out of the socket

Important: Remember that shoulder pain can be a symptom of a heart attack. If you have any feelings of chest constriction, difficulty breathing, dizziness, neck/jaw pain, or heavy sweating, see a doctor urgently.

What Is the Best Exercise for a Shoulder Injury?

Having good shoulder mobility reduces the chances of a serious injury. When you have poor mobility, you will also lack strength, stability and coordination. Therefore, Chiropractors and Orthopaedic doctors recommend mobility exercises such as F45, HIIT, yoga and pilates. Be sure to do some stretches to prevent muscle cramps in the middle of your workout.

For the best injury exercises, we heard from Theresa Marko, doctor of physical therapy, and Chad Kuntz, sports physical therapist and strength and conditioning coach. They explained the importance of understanding when not to exercise with an injury.

If your’re hurt, avoid the following exercises and their variations.

NO shoulder presses
NO incline chest presses
NO planks
NO downward dog
NO dips

Good exercises for injured shoulders include side-lying external rotation and side-lying shoulder clocks. For both workouts, remember to lie on the side that’s not hurting. Also, try not to put too much force on your wrists to avoid wrist injuries.

How to Do a Side-Lying External Rotation

How to Do a Side-Lying Shoulder Clock

How Long Can It Take for a Shoulder Injury to Heal?

When you’re healing from an injury, it’s critical to listen to your body. You can’t just mark a date on your calendar and then go back to your normal routine.

While a mild injury will clear up with a short period of rest, moderate to severe injuries require rehabilitation. A tear can take anywhere from one to six months to heal likewise a sprain or strain can take upwards of six months to be back to normal. You can consider the Ice and Heat therapy method to help manage your pain.

How Do You Rehab an Injured Shoulder?

When you have an injury, the doctor will give you a few common rehabilitation workouts. Let’s take a look at a couple of the most common rehab workouts.

Pendulum Exercise

Wand Exercises

Rotator Cuff Exercises

What Exercises Can I Do with a Torn Shoulder Tendon ?

When you’re dealing with a rotator cuff tear, it’s vital to have a physical therapy plan. This is what enables you to get your full range of motion back. Here’s a look at exercises that help heal a torn tendon.

How to Do Pendulum Swings

Remember those pendulum swing workouts from earlier? These are an especially important part of your routine when you have a torn tendon but people often do them wrong. This can be painful and slow down your healing so let’s take a closer look at how to do pendulum swings.

Stand next to a table, chair, or railing for stability
Put your hand (on the side of your uninjured shoulder) on the stabilising object
Lean forward slighting without rounding your back
Let your arm on the injured side dangle freely
Move your dangling arm back and forth. Repeat until it feels looser
Start again from a dangling position and move your arm from side to side
Start again by moving your arm in small circles. Start in a clockwise motion, then go counterclockwise

Using Resistance Bands to Strengthen Torn Tendon

One of the best pieces of workout equipment you can invest in is a resistance band. They come in a variety of different styles and strengths, but often less is more. A simple inexpensive resistance band will help you strengthen a torn tendon and get back to your old self again.

How to Do Crossover Arm Stretch Exercises

How to Do a Standing Row

How to Do an Internal Rotation Exercise

Now that you know how to treat and what to look out for when you think you might have hurt your shoulder, it’s time to look forward. Learning the right exercises to prevent injuries and being aware of your risk factors is key to moving forward with a healthy, injury-free life.

Learn anything from this piece? Share this post online to help others heal quickly and stay safe.

Having a Persistent Shoulder Injury? Consult an Orthopaedic Doctor in Singapore Today.

Ready to get checked out and start on a path to eliminating pain? To get started, you can book an appointment online with our orthopaedic treatment in Singapore and ask for Dr James Tan. Prefer to chat? Message us on WhatsApp at +65 8028 4572 or call us at +65 6235 8781 or via email hello@quantumortho.com.sg.

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