Considering how complex and mobile the shoulder joint is — it’s the most mobile joint in the human body — it’s no wonder that so many women and men suffer from shoulder pain. About 2.4% of women and men aged 45-64 in the United States suffer from some kind of shoulder pain, and that number increases with age.
The most common reason for chronic or recurrent shoulder pain is some kind of overuse injury. After all, you use your shoulders multiple times daily, whenever you raise or move your arms.
You’re more likely to develop recurrent shoulder pain if you’re an occupation or have a hobby that requires frequent arm-raising or swinging, such as:
You could be even more susceptible to shoulder pain if you engage in more than one activity that requires increased arm use. For instance, if you’re a professional throwing athlete who also enjoys woodworking or painting, your shoulder gets stressed in both work and play.
At the Rheumatology Center of New Jersey, our board-certified rheumatologists and team want to fully understand the complexities of your shoulder pain. We diagnose the reasons for your pain and customize treatment based on the results of an in-depth exam and imaging studies.
Why does your shoulder pain keep coming back? Here are a few of the most common reasons.
The shallow socket that allows your shoulder such incredible range of motion also makes it easy for the ball part of your upper arm joint to shift out of place.
You may remember the first time you dislocated your shoulder. Perhaps you were in an accident, or fell on your shoulder, or were hit in your shoulder during a game.
Once your shoulder dislocates, it’s easy for it to slip out of place again. The first dislocation usually injures the tendons and ligaments that keep the shoulder in place. These weakened tissues then are easily reinjured so they can’t stabilize your shoulder.
We may recommend physical therapy to strengthen the tissues that keep your shoulder stable. You may also benefit from pain medications to keep your shoulder pain-free and mobile.
All of your joints contain little sacs full of fluid. These sacs, called bursae, cushion your joints to keep the two bones that form them and the muscles that hold them from rubbing together. They also act as shock absorbers.
Repetitive motions, such as swinging a racket or bat, can wear out the bursae. So can trauma from an accident or fall. To heal your bursae and reduce swelling, we may recommend steroid injections as well as physical therapy.
The cord-like tissues that hold your muscles on your bones, known as tendons, are easily injured during high-velocity activities, such as throwing or swinging. A stretched tendon might lead to tendinitis, where it becomes inflamed and tender.
As with injuries, once you’ve stretched a tendon, it’s easier to do it a second time. The weakened tissue can’t withstand forces as easily as it did when it was healthy. Even the simple act of putting on a sweater or brushing your hair might irritate the tendon again, causing another bout of tendinitis.
Osteoarthritis is a wear-and-tear injury that you’re more susceptible to as you age. But if you’re an athlete, overusing your shoulder joint can also wear away the protective cartilage, leading to painful bone-on-bone grinding.
Depending on the severity of cartilage loss, we might recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments. With PRP, we use a concentrated version of your own blood to supply your cartilage with the ingredients it needs to regenerate to some extent and keep your joint safe.
Find out why your shoulder keeps hurting and get the relief you need by contacting our office nearest you today. We’re located in Monroe, Flemington, and Somerville, New Jersey.
