Here’s Why You Have Shoulder Blade Pain After an Accident

When it comes to car accidents, the entire body becomes a target for injuries. One of the areas that can be affected is the shoulder which can be extremely debilitating since we frequently use our arms to perform daily duties and rituals. Impact Medical Cutler Bay is here to educate you on the types of shoulder blade injuries that can happen in an accident and what you can do to treat your symptoms.

Types of Shoulder Injuries

The shoulder may seem like such a minimal target for an impact, but there are actually many types of injuries that can occur.

Misaligned Shoulders

Being one of the less severe injuries, dislocations can easily result from your shoulder being pushed into an unnatural position. The ball located in the joint can be shifted out of place and can sometimes induce tears in the process.

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Inflammation
• Muscle spasms
• Lack of motion

Tissue Damage

Injuries involving tissue are the most common type of injury regarding car accidents. For the shoulder, the labral is the most susceptible to being stretched or torn on impact. The labral is what holds the ball in the socket of your joint. If this tissue is torn enough, the breach of integrity can even lead to a dislocated joint.

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Lack of motion
• Possible dislocation

Whiplash

The more commonly known type of car accident injury is whiplash. This occurs when the head is jerked around at a high enough speed in various directions. Although whiplash is mainly associated with the head and neck area, the pain can radiate down to the shoulder region.

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Tingling
• Lack of motion

Torn Rotator Cuff

Your rotator cuff consists of a group of tendons located around the shoulder joint. Like with many injuries, torn rotator cuffs can happen from the body twisting in unnatural ways during an impact. A minor case would be a partial or incomplete tear which only causes some pain, but a full-thickness or complete tear separates the tendon from the bone that it’s attached to. This can lead to more drastic symptoms.

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Weakness
• Lack of motion
• Crackling sensation

Strained Bursa

Medically referred to as bursitis, a strained bursa is followed by inflammation and difficulty moving your arms. The bursa is what cushions the soft tissue in your joints and keeps them from rubbing against your bones. Their composition consists of fluid-filled sacs to provide adequate protection. When hit hard enough, your bursa can swell to the point of pain or discomfort.

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Tenderness
• Inflammation
• Lack of motion

Treatments for Shoulder Injuries

For most tissue and muscle-related injuries, nursing your shoulder back to health will take some time and effort. However, chiropractic care and physical therapy are both provenly-effective ways to receive proper care and at a faster rate than home remedies. Chiropractic care is especially helpful in many aspects including improved range of motion, muscle strength, flexibility, and reduced pain and inflammation. Physical therapy will further accelerate the healing process by helping you regain shoulder strength and mobility.

Our shoulders are an essential part of our body. It’s how we lift our forks, change our clothes, brush our teeth, and nearly every other action we take. If your shoulders have been impacted in a car accident and you’re suffering from any of the above symptoms, give Impact Medical Cutler Bay a call to schedule an appointment so our dedicated team of professionals can help you get your shoulder back in working order!