Shoulders and elbows are two of the most motile parts of the body. They perform various day-to-day functions. The shoulders and elbows are composed of a network of ligaments, tissues, and tendons.
An injury to any region of the shoulder and elbow may affect a person’s upper mobility. Athletes are more prone to shoulder and elbow injuries caused due to bending, trauma, and accidents. Many shoulders and elbow problems are also caused by wear and tear of tissues, ligaments, and tendons.
The symptoms experienced may be mild or acute, depending upon the severity and type of injury. LA Jolla, CA, orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeons, help you recognize the type of injury and provide necessary repair and healing treatment according to it.
Some of the common shoulder and elbow injuries are:
- Arthritis– Osteoarthritis is a common joint issue that is caused due to degeneration of cartilage present between the joints. This cartilage provides frictionless movement and acts as a shock absorber. The absence of this cartilage results in the grinding of joints. This absence causes pain, swelling, and stiffness of the shoulder or elbow and affects their mobility. Increased strain on the shoulder and elbow can cause osteoarthritis.
- Bursitis- This is a painful condition in which the bursae that provide cushioning to tendons and muscles present around joints get filled with fluid resulting in inflammation, swelling, pain, and redness. Bursitis is a condition that mainly affects joints that perform constant repetitive motion like shoulders and elbows.
- Tennis elbow– This is also called lateral epicondylitis. Tennis elbow is a painful condition caused due to excessive use of elbow joints, for example, in tennis. The tendons connecting the forearm muscles become inflamed. The movement of the elbow worsens this inflammation.
- Golfer’s elbow- This condition is caused by inflammation of the elbow joint and causes pain and swelling in the elbow’s inner side. The leading cause for this is excess stress or motion by the forceful wrist and movement of fingers.
- Rotator cuff injury- The rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. It helps in keeping the tightness of the arm bone in the shoulder socket. The injury is caused by trauma, wear, tear, and spraining of the tendon. The symptoms include a dull deep ache and arm weakness.
- Dislocation of the shoulder and elbow- This is the injury that causes the bone to pop out or dislodge from the joint and causes the arm to look distorted. Dislocation is accompanied by severe pain. The injured will have difficulty moving their elbow or shoulder after a dislocation.
- Joint overload- Wear and tear of the joint due to activities like swimming, tennis, and baseball. The condition causes inflammation, sharp pain, and swelling.
Tendonitis– The tendon of the shoulder and elbow becomes inflamed by excessive use and injury. The symptoms include impingement in tendons and nerves. Impingement can further lead to pain in other areas.
