The shoulder has a wider and more varied range of motion than any other
joint in the body. It allows a wide range of motions – painting,
throwing, hammering, reaching, picking up your child.
But this incredible flexibility comes at a price: The shoulder is one of
the most unstable, and thus easily injured, joint in the body. And although
we often think of the shoulder as one joint, it consists of three joints
held together by a complex system of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
People who place great demands on the shoulder, such as swimmers, carpenters
and painters are at greater risk of shoulder problems. And … just
like everything else, the older we are, the greater the risk.
Pain, loss of strength, and limited range of motion will often cause people
to seek help from an orthopedic surgeon for their shoulder problems. Common
causes of shoulder pain include:
Rotator cuff tears
Tendonitis
Arthritis
Frozen shoulder
Dislocations
Traumatic injury
Repetitive injury
See a Physician if...
Pain persists beyond a few days
Pain occurs at night or while resting
You experience swelling or significant bruising around the joint
You see signs of infection, including warmth in the affected area, fever,
tenderness or increasing discomfort
Shoulder pain may be felt within the shoulder girdle itself, or may radiate
into the neck, back or the arms.
Know your elbow
The elbow allows you to extend your arm (extension) or to bring it back
to the body (flexion) and to turn the lower part of the arm over (palm
up/palm down). Although the elbow does not bear weight, per se, it can
be stressed by activities such as gymnastics/tumbling, throwing, and movements
involved in certain occupations, such as carpentry.
Three bones make up the elbow: the upper arm, called the humerus; the ulna,
the large bone in the forearm; and the radius, the smaller bone in the
forearm. Conditions affecting the elbow include:
Arthritis
Bursitis
Dislocation
Elbow spurs
Fractures
Golfer's Elbow
Ligament tears
Tendonitis
Tendon rupture
Tennis Elbow
Throwing injuries
Trauma (such as might occur in a fall or an accident)
Get Back in the Swing of Things
When problems related to tendon tears, instability, fractures, arthritis
or other conditions impede movement, both surgical and non-surgical treatments
may be considered to ease discomfort and help restore movement. Treatments
may include:
Lifestyle modifications
Changes in the way one uses the joint (as a treatment for conditions like
tennis elbow or golfer's elbow)
