Shoulder Sports Injuries

Pitching. Serving. Lifting. Throwing. These excessive, repetitive overhead motions may lead you to contact our sports medicine team.

Shoulder injuries can occur in sports like baseball, tennis, weightlifting, and swimming. Every day activities, like hanging curtains or washing windows, can also lead to common shoulder injuries:

• Rotator cuff tendinitis – irritation and inflammation of the group of muscles and tendons that make up the rotator cuff.
• Rotator cuff tear – one or more rotator cuff tendons are torn causing weakness, pain, and a limited range of motion.
• Frozen shoulder – stiffness of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the shoulder, which makes movement difficult or painful.
• Shoulder instability – the shoulder joint is out of position. This can result in a dislocation and may feel as if the shoulder has slipped out of place.

Symptoms and treatment of shoulder sports injuries

Symptoms of shoulder injuries may include the following:

• Inflammation
• Pain while moving
• Stiffness or restricted use
• Weakness when rotating your arm

When you are first injured, the Henry Ford Sports Medicine team recommends the RICE method, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

When to contact a doctor

If pain persists, a doctor can diagnose your shoulder injury by conducting a physical exam, taking x-rays, and reviewing your symptoms and medical history.

Non-surgical treatments

Non-surgical treatments may include treatments at home, such as rest, physical therapy to help strengthen your shoulder and increase flexibility, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Surgical treatments

Surgical treatment for a shoulder injury may be considered if all non-surgical treatment options have been exhausted. This may also be an option if your symptoms have lasted 6 to 12 months or if you have loss of function in your shoulder. Your Henry Ford doctor will personalize your treatment based on your needs.

Find a sports medicine location for shoulder injuries.

Get treated for your shoulder injury at one of our conveniently located sports medicine locations in the Detroit Metro area.

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