Find Out How the Most Common Shoulder Injuries Happen

The shoulder consists of bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that connect the arm to the torso. The shoulder joint has three bones: the collarbone (clavicle), the shoulder blade (scapula) and the upper arm bone (humerus). Two joints work together to move the arm. The acromioclavicular joint (AC) is a sliding joint between the clavicle and the tip of the shoulder (acromion). The acromion is the projecting part of the shoulder blade that forms the tip of the shoulder. This joint allows you raise your arm above your head.

The joint (glenohumeral joint) is a ball-and-socket joint. The ball – which is the higher, rounded portion of the upper arm – fits into the cup-shaped part of the scapula (glenoid). This joint enables the arm to rotate and move towards and from the body.

The labrum is the cartilaginous rim of the humeral head and protects the shoulder socket (glenoid). The cartilage stabilizes the joint. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that pull the humerus into the scapula. The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the shoulder joint and support the rotation of the arm.

In the shoulder are also two cavities. These sacs (bursa) contain a lubricating fluid, which ensures the flexible parts of the joint can move almost without friction.

Common ways a shoulder injury occurs

Trauma is a leading cause of shoulder injury in young athletes and older populations. Collisions and falls predispose the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the shoulder to damage, frequently resulting in the need for surgical repair.

Another common cause is repetitive use. People whose occupations require overhead work (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc.) are particularly susceptible to repetitive use injuries. Athletes who play sports that require overhead use of the shoulder (baseball, tennis, volleyball, swimming, etc.), can develop overuse injuries requiring surgical repair.

Along with the above, over time our bodies age, which is called degeneration. This includes the bones, muscles, and tendons of the shoulder. Inflammation from “wear and tear” of the joints results in arthritis, whereas degeneration of the muscles and tendons results in tears that do not heal without surgical repair.

The Shanghai United Family Sports Medicine team is headed up by Dr. Derk Rietveld and Dr. Ashish Maskay and provides world-class, premium treatment of sports-related problems through a network-based rehabilitation program.

Providing medical care to treat sports and work-related injuries to athletes and non-athletes alike,  Dr. Derk Rietveld and Dr. Ashish Maskay are recognized for their expertise in managing athletic injuries, treating injuries of the shoulder, elbow, hip, pelvis, knee, ankle, foot and hand.

Specializing in sports and musculoskeletal injury prevention, analysis and diagnostics, and the surgical and nonsurgical management of sports-related injuries, our goal is to help people remain healthy and active their entire lives.