Out of all the joints in our body, the Shoulder Joint has the biggest range of motion. The Shoulder Joint has to have the correct balance of strength, flexibility and stability. The way in which this balance is maintained is through exercise that stretches and strengthens the joint to avoid shoulder problems.
Our Shoulder Joint is what allows us to place our hands on objects and in different positions to perform all the tasks of our daily lives, whether it is work or play.
The Shoulder Joint is surrounded by four muscles and their tendons. These make up what is called the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is surrounded by an empty sac, or bursa, which helps the tendons slide. However the rotator cuff is liable to many problems, all of which can cause weakness, tenderness and pain. These problems include overuse tendinitis and bursitis, both of which can be caused by certain activities, especially sports related. Also damage to the rotator cuff can also happen to due trauma following an accident. Most rotator cuff problems can be treated with rest, medication and gentle exercises, but pain which persists more than two weeks should be evaluated by a physician.
Tendinitis and or Bursitis occur in the Shoulder Joint when the space between the rotator cuff and the bone above it is narrowed. This causes the tendons and overlaying burse to be squeezed. Throwing, tennis, swimming, basketball and even gymnastics can lead to tendinitis or Bursitis.
The Shoulder Joint is also susceptible to dislocation. Dislocations can occur due to sports injury as well as accidents such as road traffic and construction accidents. A dislocation is when the ball comes out of the socket. If you sustain a dislocation to your Shoulder Joint you will typically be in a sling for at least 2 weeks, in which time you will have to perform wrist, forearm and elbow exercises.
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