There are serious shoulder injuries that can have a negative impact on almost everything that a patient does. Other shoulder problems can be mild at first, only to increase in terms of their severity. Some of the local patients who are experiencing shoulder pain may eventually need to consult with a La Jolla, CA orthopedic shoulder & elbow surgeon or upper extremity specialist in order to regain the full use of their shoulders. You might be especially prone to shoulder injuries if you participate in certain athletic activities.
Overuse
People often exercise frequently to strengthen their muscles and avoid shoulder pain and similar problems. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to cause these exact same problems by exercising too often. People really only need between half an hour and a couple of hours of exercise a day. Athletes will often exercise much more regularly than this, and plenty of sports specifically require people to put more pressure on their shoulders.
Swimmers get shoulder problems so often that there’s a shoulder pain condition that’s uniquely associated with swimming. It specifically happens because, when people swim, the tendons can rub against the blades of the shoulders repeatedly for an extended period of time. People who play baseball might have similar problems, especially pitchers. Basketball and tennis players are also at risk for shoulder pain and related injuries, although these problems are still particularly common among swimmers.
Baseball players will only pitch so often during a game. Swimmers will repeatedly make the same movements again and again in order to propel themselves forward and stay in the right position. They rely on their shoulders more than people who play other sports. Since swimmers tend to have full schedules and practice very regularly, their muscles may have even less time to regenerate.
However, you can overuse your shoulder muscles over the course of many different activities. Even people who have sedentary lifestyles might develop shoulder problems if they sleep or lean on their sides regularly. If those people aren’t especially active, their shoulders could be vulnerable for a different reason.
Lack of Use
People who rarely exercise won’t strengthen their shoulder muscles. They’ll also frequently lose flexibility in that region of the body. When it is time to reach for something, they might not have the strength to handle it or the flexibility to move smoothly.
It’s relatively easy for people to develop injured shoulders if they avoid exercise. You don’t necessarily have to lift weights or specifically target the shoulder muscles in order to prevent problems like this. The people who move their bodies naturally over the course of the day and who walk regularly will still avoid letting their shoulder muscles fall into disuse. Lots of muscles are used during the simple acts of walking, lifting, and reaching. However, you might still need to engage in more physical activity as you get older.
Age
People tend to gradually lose muscle mass as they get older unless they specifically try to exercise more frequently as they age. Since aging can also cause bone loss, older people can suffer from an even broader range of shoulder issues. If they do sustain a shoulder injury, it can also be harder for them to recover from it.
Some of the older people who have severe and chronic shoulder problems might be candidates for shoulder surgery. However, people of all ages might be able to manage at least some shoulder issues using lifestyle changes.
