Bursitis, rotator cuff weakness and rotator cuff tears are all possible complications
from the constant throwing, batting and diving that are involved in the
wonderful sport of baseball. What are injuries
should you be aware of and how are they caused?
Rotator Cuff Weakness: Rotator cuff weakness can be caused by a constant throwing motion. Weakness occurs when the rotator cuff tendons
become inflamed and may get pinched under the shoulder blade.
Tendonitis/Bursitis: Tendonitis
occurs when the rotator cuff tendons and/or the bursa become irritated and
inflamed. Symptoms include extreme pain
or weakness, especially when the shoulder is in motion. These conditions often occur in conjunction
with each other, but pain associated with Bursitis tends to be located just
under the joint capsule.
Rotator Cuff Tear: Here we have
the ‘worst case scenario’. Rotator cuff tears occur when the tendon is ripped off the bone. Symptoms include: limited motion, decreased shoulder strength
and aching and weakness when you lift your arm above your head. Surgery is often required to fix a rotator
cuff tear.
The big question is:
how do you avoid these injuries
and stay in the game?
One great way to prevent injuries of the shoulder is Strength Training. Around the
shoulder blade (also called the scapula) are a series of muscles that together
with the rotator cuff, allow a dynamic, fluid motion seen with throwing. Many
athletes perform exercises that strengthen the large muscles of the shoulder,
such as the pectoralis major and deltoid muscle, but ignore the rotator cuff
and smaller muscles surrounding the shoulder blade. Failure to strengthen these smaller muscles,
called the parascapular muscles and rotator cuff muscles, can result in pain while
throwing, and issues with shoulder function.
Examples of
rotator cuff exercises are resisted external and internal rotation exercises of
the shoulder, reverse flies and seated rows (look for future posts for more
details on these exercises). All of
these exercises should be performed with an emphasis on squeezing your shoulder
blades together while doing each repetition.
These muscles are small in relation to other muscles in the body and do
not require a significant amount of resistance.
A few pounds of weight or a light resistance band is usually adequate
for strengthening. As a reminder, prior to performing any of these exercises it is important to see your orthopedic surgeon if you are unable to lift your arm, or if you are unable to perform these exercises due to pain or discomfort.
Prevention of
these injuries is often possible. In
addition to the strength training mentioned above, here are some additional tips
from STOP Sports Injuries (www.stopsportsinjuries.org):
- Warm up & stretch - it is important to stretch out the shoulder and start with a few “softer” throws.
- Play various positions - this is especially important for the younger athletes. Switching positions and using different body parts/muscles is an important component to preventing injury.
- DON’T play through the pain! If pain persists, see a doctor.
- Take time to rest. If you are a pitcher, try to take a day or two off between games.
- Concentrate
on control, form and accuracy when throwing or pitching.
If you
suspect you or your child has a shoulder injury, we are here to help. Skyview Orthopedic Associates is an excellent
resource. Our staff is focused on
individualized, state of the art patient care and is led by John Vitolo, MD. Dr. Vitolo specializes in injuries and
disorders on the shoulder and knee. He
is board certified in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Vitolo was also recently named to the NJ
Top Doc list. For additional
information, visit www.skyvieworthopedic.com
or call 973-300-1553.
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