Slip and Fall Shoulder Injury and Other Shoulder Injury Types

People use their shoulder joints extensively every day, whether they are aware of it or not. They are complex bio-machinery that hold the wide arm bones in place and carry a lot of weight. They also enable us to use our hands to perform fine motor functions and complete more complex tasks, such as driving. 

Any damage to our shoulder’s bones and soft tissues will result in problems. When you sustain a shoulder injury in a slip and fall accident, your shoulder’s functionality can be affected. Such injuries can also result from the negligence of the owner of the property you have rented. If the property is not well-maintained due to which an injury has been caused, the sufferer can consult a personal injury lawyer to file a lawsuit. For more information on shoulder injuries and in what circumstances you can file a lawsuit for such injuries, check out shoulder injury NYC. 

How do Shoulder Slip and Fall Injuries Occur? 

Accidents involving slipping and falling can occur in several ways. A wet, slippery floor in a shop, restaurant, or hotel may cause you to slip, particularly on rainy or snowy days. Slips, slides, and falls can all be caused by uneven sidewalks, cords on the floor, and poorly maintained stairs.

Either of these circumstances poses unacceptable risks of slipping and falling. The resulting damage can lead to injuries to your shoulder joint, arm bones, clavicle, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Shoulder injuries are seldom fatal, although they can be debilitating. Reduced range of motion or chronic pain will wreak havoc on your everyday routine. It can impair your ability to work or prohibit you from functioning at all in severe cases. 

Various Types of Shoulder Injuries 

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that attaches your upper arm bone (humerus) to your shoulder blade (scapula), as well as your collarbone (clavicle), which is connected to the shoulder blade. Rotator cuff is a group of muscles supporting the shoulder joint and providing a wide range of motion. 

Bursae are cushions that shield the tendons in the rotator cuff. Listed below are some common slip and fall shoulder injuries; 

• Rotator Cuff Tear: A rotator cuff is a group of four upper arm muscles. They enable you to lift and rotate your arm. The rotator cuff tendons allow the muscles to move the arm.

Tendons bind the muscles to their bones. Fall-related rotator cuff injuries can result in severe pain and shoulder weakness. The four muscles that cover your shoulder are damaged in a torn rotator cuff. 

Tendons degenerate and lose power as people age and become less active. A rotator cuff tear may result from this weakening. The majority of rotator cuff injuries occur in middle-aged or older adults who already have shoulder issues.

It can also influence children and adolescents. The blood supply to the shoulder is inadequate. The tendons have a more challenging time repairing and maintaining themselves as a result of this. 

The rotator cuff tendons are irritated when you use your arm overhead. When lifting a large item with an extended arm, the rotator cuff tendons may be damaged or broken. Falling or attempting to capture a heavy falling object may also trigger it. Tenderness in the shoulder when using the shoulder are symptoms of a torn rotator cuff.

• Shoulder Fracture: One or more bones in the shoulder may be broken in a slip and fall accident. The humerus (upper arm bone), clavicle (collarbone), and scapula are all part of this (shoulder blade). Surgery might be prescribed depending on the severity of the fracture. 
• Shoulder Dislocation: The agony of a dislocated shoulder is excruciating. A visually deformed shoulder may also be present. Though the joint can be healed, a dislocated shoulder can make the shoulder unstable and vulnerable to further injury. 
• Arthritis: Some people develop osteoarthritis, which causes painful movement, as early as age fifty. The cartilage surface that lines the bones of the shoulder joint wear away and the joints begin to wear out.

Osteoarthritis is most often caused by overuse of injured shoulders. The severity of the pain determines the treatment plan for shoulder arthritis. In some instances, a shoulder joint replacement is needed. 

• Impingement: When there is friction between the bones in your shoulder and the bursa or tendons, impingement occurs. This can be treated surgically as well as non-surgically. 
• Adhesive Capsulitis: Also known as frozen shoulder, the condition can affect any individual of any age group. 

The reasons for this are unknown. However, it is said that diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, and Parkinson disease may all cause frozen shoulders. 

It may also occur if the shoulder is immobile for an extended period. This happens when a minor shoulder injury heals with scar tissue limits the joint’s ability to move. 

The scar tissue in the shoulder decreases flexibility and makes it more vulnerable to injury. The key symptom is the inability to raise the shoulder without pain in either direction. Stretching before beginning activities can help avoid further injury and stiffness. 

• Bursitis: Trauma to the shoulder joint can also inflame the bursa, a fluid-filled sac in your shoulder. Bursitis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in the shoulder.
• Shoulder Instability: Young people and athletes are more prone to shoulder instability. The shoulder becomes unstable when the muscles and ligaments that keep it together are strained beyond their natural limits. This health condition can be a natural part of growth and development in younger people, but the shoulder joint may stiffen or contract as they get older. 

Specific movements used in tackling or pitching, for example, may cause shoulder instability in athletes. These movements put a great deal of force to the shoulder, stressing the ligaments over time.

It may cause pain suddenly or gradually and a loose feeling in the shoulder and arm weakness. Rest, physical therapy, or surgeries are both options for treatment. 

• Overuse: A sudden uptick can put a lot of pressure on the shoulders and cause them to become rigid. This is a frequent issue in middle age, especially among people who don’t exercise regularly but participate in high-intensity sports on occasion. Overuse issues can also be treated with rest and stretching exercises, even though they are uncomfortable.
• Labral Tear: It’s possible that the labrum, the fibrous tissue that forms the shoulder socket, will tear. The humerus head is broader than the socket, and the labrum deepens the socket, allowing it to fit better and stabilizing the joint. 

Several ligaments link this region of the shoulder. Single trauma or repeated use of the shoulder may cause an injury here.

• Shoulder Sprain:  the ligament that binds the clavicle to the acromion break, a shoulder split, or sprain, occurs. The clavicle can be moved out of alignment, resulting in a bump at the top of the shoulder.

Sprains usually occur when you fall and reach out your hand or arm to stop yourself or when you fall on a firm surface. The sprain results in intense pain, a misshapen shoulder, and limited shoulder mobility.

The severity of the sprain determines the course of treatment. Apply ice immediately after the injury to help reduce discomfort and swelling. 

The arm is retained in a sling to restrict shoulder movement and allow ligaments to heal. Physical therapy activities are often performed after this, and sometimes surgery is also preferred. 

Common Symptoms for Shoulder Injury 

An individual suffering from shoulder injuries has swelling with pain when performing specific movements. This causes a limited range of motion of the shoulder joint. 

The patient also complains of pain if they sleep on the affected side. Since the shoulder muscles undergo a disuse phase because of the pain the individual has, shoulder muscle weakness or atrophy is also prominent. 

Patients may also feel cracking sounds while performing any shoulder movement. There is a prominent deformity in the shoulder joint that indicates the injury or dislocation.

Treatment 

The seriousness of the injury determines the course of treatment. If your injury is not that severe, your Physiotherapist can prescribe RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

The most critical aspect of recovery is undoubtedly resting the shoulder. However, after the pain has subsided, you’ll need to begin physical therapy sessions to recover shoulder mobility and restore its range of motion. 

A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) can be prescribed to help ease the pain and reduce swelling. The patient may also be prescribed gels, patches or creams to reduce the pain. Recommended below are some exercises that the Physiotherapist may suggest;

• Essential Shoulder Strengthening: At home, tie elastic tubing to a doorknob. Push the elastic tubing gently into your body.

Hold for a total of five seconds. Rep with each arm five times. Perform this exercise twice a day.

• Shoulder Press-ups: Sit in an upright chair with an armrest and your feet on the concrete. To get out of the chair, slowly raise your arms.

Maintain for a total of five seconds. Rep five times more. Perform this exercise twice a day. 

• Wall Push-ups: Stand with your hands on the wall and your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the wall. Push-ups can be done slowly. 

Rep five times more. Retain for a total of five seconds. Perform this exercise twice a day. 

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