Last Updated on December 8, 2020
The shoulder is a fundamental part of the human anatomy in the sense that it is used in the vast majority of our actions. As a matter of fact, the joints of the shoulder are one of the most mobiles in the entire body that allow us to make a series of highly complex movements. But all this mobility and versatility comes at a cost: shoulder instability.
That’s right. The shoulder is highly unstable, which means that the risk of injury (dislocation, for example) is far greater than other body parts. Plus, most of the tasks we perform daily, either in our work or while playing sports, put tremendous stress on our shoulders.
With that being said, the causes of shoulder pain can be many. In this article, we will discuss all the most common ones so that you know exactly when to visit a doctor to seek shoulder pain treatment.
1. What causes shoulder pain
1. Shoulder overuse The overload of the muscles and tendons that make up the shoulders and arms can cause swelling and inflammation. Symptoms include muscle pain and fatigue, and they usually appear several hours after the muscles have been overused. Don’t worry, all you need is a good rest to get them back to normal.
2. Swimmer’s shoulder
Swimming is a sport that puts a lot of strain on the shoulders. All swimming styles imply a fast and repeated rotation of the whole shoulder. Therefore, the fact that medical experts adopted this term to describe a range of different shoulder injuries caused by repetitive movements comes as no surprise. Here are three shoulder injuries frequent amongst swimmers: Labral injury: the labral tear of the shoulder occurs when the labrum (a piece of fibrocartilage attached to the rim of the shoulder socket) is torn. This rubbery tissue helps hold the ball of the joint in place. Peripheral neuropathy: the type of peripheral neuropathy that affects the shoulder specifically is called brachial plexus neuropathy (BPN for short). This injury occurs when the nerves in the upper shoulder region become damaged. The pain will limit your movement and cause numbness and weakness in your shoulder, arm, and hand. Impingement syndrome: this condition is a result of the inflammation caused by repetitive movements. The pain is triggered by the tendon rubbing against the shoulder blade.
