Top 5 Tips to Prevent Shoulder Injuries
Do you know that the shoulder joint is the most mobile joint of the body? On any given day we use it for almost at all occasions sitting, lifting an object or driving a vehicle or moving a table or reaching, playing sports. You can do all these things with a healthy shoulder joint which is a ball-and-socket joint, which allows an extensive range of movements. Unfortunately, With this much mobility and movements comes a greater risk of getting hurt. Thus the shoulder joint is the most injured body part according to studies..
Persons who perform repeated overhead activities like painting and lifting, and athletes like tennis players, squash players, cricket players and swimmers are more prone to shoulder problems.
Most common causes of sports injuries are because of overuse and improper form and technique. Some of the common shoulder problems that occur in sports persons are fractures and dislocations, rotator cuff inflammation or tears, labral tears (also known as SLAP tears), shoulder impingement and bursitis. Please visit our patient education section for more information about these conditions.
Here are top 5 tips to prevent shoulder injuries from our shoulder specialists.
INCREASE FLEXIBILITY
Increase flexibility with stretching exercises and yoga in your shoulder region which helps joints to work optimally and helps in range of motions. Flexibility is important for keeping your muscles flexible and in shape helps prevent shoulder pains and injuries and everyday activities easy and doable.
You can try some simple yoga poses at home like child pose, pigeon pose and downward dog poses to keep you in shape and improve your flexibility
STRENGTHEN YOUR SHOULDER
It is always great to build endurance over a time and strengthening muscles will help you with stability and power. Specially improving shoulder and arms muscles will support the grip and increases the shoulder stability and reduces the chances of pain development and injuries
WARM UP
If it’s been a few days or weeks since you hit the gym or tennis court or cricket field, consider warming up before jumping in. It’s never been a good idea to start with cold muscles. Before starting these activities, warm up your body. Take a short walk or Jog or run a short distance. Warm helps you to increase your heart rate and body temperature and activates your muscles, joints and make you ready for workouts or a sports session that follows.
CROSS-TRAIN
Some sports bring more stress and repetitive overhead actions and may stain muscles and bones of your shoulder such as tennis, squash, swimming and cricket. Try cross training and reduce stress on your shoulder. If you are a tennis player or swimmer try running or cycling and keep your fitness levels up.
DON’T STRAIN
Aim for the balance between work and rest. Limit your activities specially if you are involved with overhead activities and always listen to your body, don’t ignore initial warnings like soreness, pain and difficulty in moving your arm or shoulder. Distribute the load wisely and switch arms whenever possible. Take regular breaks and always use good posture while working and be cautious.
Make small adjustments to your daily work or sports routine and follow the above tips to Prevent Shoulder Injuries and help yourself from most of the shoulder injuries. Listen to your body and there’s nothing more frustrating than sitting idle with an active shoulder injury or pain. With these preventive measures and adjustments to your shoulder movements helps you to keep pain and injuries at bay. Consult your orthopedic specialist even if you feel it’s a minor injury or pain. Book an appointment with best orthopedic centre in Hyderabad here