Have you ever sustained a shoulder injury? These injuries are usually caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, physical activities, etc.
All injuries result in intense pain, a limited range of motion, bruising, deformation, muscle spasms, and many other symptoms. Shoulders can easily become frozen, dislocated, or fractured. The treatment depends on the acuteness and location of the injury. In the event of severe injuries, surgical treatment is essential for patients to restore the strength in this body area.
There are various surgical treatments for acute shoulder pain performed by international orthopedic and trauma surgeons, such as Mr. Ali Noorani.
These are the most common shoulder injuries from falls.
Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, limits the range of motion in this area. It occurs when the shoulder joint tissue thickens and tightens, thus restricting the movement of the joint. It no longer has enough space to rotate in the correct manner. Apart from age and certain diseases, adhesive capsulitis might be caused by a trauma or rotator cuff injury, which reduced mobility in this area.
Moreover, this condition develops in three stages, which might last between one and two years. During the freezing stage, individuals experience motion restrictions and severe pain when trying to move the shoulder because of capsule inflammation. In the course of the frozen stage, pain is no longer overwhelming, but stiffness worsens. During the last thawing stage, mobility improves, and the movements are restored to normal.
In terms of treatment, this condition might be cured on its own within a two-year period, during which patients are usually prescribed painkillers and physiotherapy. Nevertheless, if adhesive capsulitis doesn’t go away, orthopedic specialists recommend various non-surgical and surgical treatments to restore mobility.
For instance, corticosteroid injections are administered to alleviate pain and improve motion range. In contrast, joint distention refers to a procedure for tissue stretching, which involves sterile water injection into the joint capsule. Another treatment for loosening up the tightened tissue is shoulder manipulation, performed under general anesthetics.
A surgical procedure like the capsular release is recommended to patients whose condition shows no improvement from physiotherapy. The procedure is performed under general or local anesthetic. The surgeon makes three tiny incisions to insert the instruments and a camera. He/ She cuts the thick capsule tissues and then closes the incisions with sutures. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, and risks of adhesive capsulitis.
Dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder is a common injury that might be caused by falls, motor vehicle accidents, or sports injuries. For instance, a person might dislocate this joint during a fall from a ladder or simply by tripping on a rug. Also, it’s a common injury in contact sports like hockey and football, as well as sports involving falls like gymnastics and skiing. Such dislocation happens when the upper arm bone is removed from the socket. This is why safety precautions like wearing protective padding and investing in a good gymnastics crash mat are so important when participating in sports like these.
The ability of the shoulder to move in multiple directions makes it susceptible to different types of dislocation, such as forward, downward, and backward. It might be dislocated partially when the bone is only partially out of the socket. Individuals might also face complete dislocation, where the upper arm bone entirely leaves the socket. Once a person has his/her shoulder dislocated once, the risk of further dislocation is high.
The vulnerability of this joint to future dislocation is known as shoulder instability. The larger the number of dislocations, the greater the damage done to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones surrounding the joint. This injury manifests with excruciating pain, visible deformation, swelling, muscle spasms, bruising, numbness, and limited motion range.
A physical examination is performed to look for signs of deformation and swelling. An X-ray, however, is necessary to check for dislocation and potential broken bones. Shoulder dislocations require immediate medical attention to prevent further damage done to the ligaments, blood vessels, and bones. Either sedation or general anesthetic is used during the procedure of putting the shoulder back to its normal position. Given the risk of instability, patients are supposed to undergo physiotherapy and make some lifestyle changes.
Nevertheless, shoulder stabilization surgery is unavoidable in some patients. It can be performed as arthroscopic stabilization surgery or open surgery. The former involves the use of an arthroscope, referring to a surgical instrument shaped in the form of a tube, having a camera on one end. The orthopedic surgeon makes small incisions to insert the arthroscope and have a clear view of the joint. Once the damaged ligament and tissues are repaired, the incisions are closed.
Sometimes, small incisions aren’t enough for surgeons to make the necessary repairs. In such scenarios, these professionals turn to open surgery by making a larger incision and gaining better access. The following link, https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Shoulder-Dislocation, explains a few methods for preventing shoulder dislocation.
Shoulder fractures
These fractures are relatively common and are caused by a fall on the shoulder, sports injury, or motor vehicle accidents. This body part consists of three bones, humerus, scapula, and clavicle. Fractures can happen to any of these bones. For instance, clavicle fractures are the most common, usually occurring due to a fall.
Scapula fractures, on the other hand, don’t happen as frequently as clavicle fractures. These are caused by high-impact trauma experienced in a collision or a fall from a great height. Conversely, humerus fractures affect the upper arm and occur in older individuals over sixty-five.
The overall symptoms of shoulder fractures include swelling, pain, bruising, numbness, a grinding sensation during movements, etc. Clavicle fractures manifest with collarbone swelling, a bump, and pain when trying to make some movements. Humerus fractures restrict mobility significantly and cause severe pain and swelling. Scapular fractures lead to bruising and severe discomfort.
These fractures are diagnosed by using several methods of diagnosis, such as physical examination, finger, and wrist assessment, x-ray, and CT scan. An X-ray is crucial for detecting the presence and severity of bone fractures. In contrast, a CT scan is required in the event of a severe injury.
As far as treatment is concerned, it depends on the location and severity of the fracture. When it comes to clavicle fractures, the treatment can be non-surgical and surgical. Non-surgical treatments require patients to wear a sling for their arms to stay immobilized in the course of bone healing. It takes between three and six weeks in kids, whereas between six and twelve weeks in adults.
A surgical procedure is required in the event of an open fracture so as to fix the bone in place with the help of screws and plates. Surgery for humerus fractures depends on the fracture pattern. In case of nerve injury or shifted bone fragments, surgery is necessary. Sometimes, the only solution is shoulder replacement. This type of surgery involves removing the damaged parts and replacing them with artificial implants. There are long stem, short stem, and stemless implants.
Immobilization is also used as a non-surgical treatment for scapula fractures. Only a small percentage of these injuries require surgery for the fragments to be fixed in place by using screws and plates.
To sum up
When dealing with such an injury, immediate medical treatment is a must.
Let professionals speed up the healing process!
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