Shoulder Throwing Injury Specialist
Are you an athlete who participates in sports that involve throwing overhead? If so, you may be at risk of developing a rotator cuff injury. The rotator cuff can become damaged from repetitive overuse, a sports injury, a fall or degeneration of one of the tendons. Rotator cuff surgeon, Dr. Jervis Yau provides diagnosis and both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for patients in Santa Barbara who have developed a rotator cuff injury. Contact Dr. Yau’s team today!
An Overview of Shoulder Throwing Injuries
The overhead throwing motion places a lot of stress on the shoulder joint, especially the structures that keep the joint stable. When athletes continue to perform overhead movements for an extended period of time, throwing injuries can occur. Common shoulder injuries in the throwing athlete include SLAP tears, rotator cuff tears and impingement syndrome leading to shoulder pain and dysfunction. Orthopedic shoulder specialist, Dr. Jervis Yau is highly trained and experienced at diagnosing and treating a variety of overhead throwing injuries in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria and Ventura, California patients.
Throwing injuries in the overhead athlete are commonly seen in baseball, tennis, volleyball and certain track and field events. These injuries are caused by excessive stress being placed during throwing on certain shoulder structures that keep the humeral head centered in the glenoid socket.
There are five stages to the pitching motion – wind-up, early cocking, late cocking, acceleration and follow-through. The late cocking and follow-through phases place the most amount of stress on the shoulder joint. When one structure within the joint becomes weakened from overuse and stress, other structures must compensate and often leads to progressive weakness and pain.
What are Common Shoulder Throwing Injury Symptoms?
Throwing injuries range in symptoms depending on the type of injury. The most common symptoms are shoulder pain, weakness, stiffness, instability and decreased range of motion.
How is a Shoulder Throwing Injury Diagnosed?
Dr. Yau diagnoses throwing injuries in the overhead athlete by performing a history and physical examination. During the physical examination, Dr. Yau will look at range of motion, stability and strength of the shoulder joint. X-rays, MRI and CT scan may also be obtained to identify and confirm the diagnosis.
What is the Treatment for a Shoulder Throwing Injury?
It is critical throwing injuries are treated as quickly as possible so they do not progress into more severe, complex shoulder conditions.
Non-Surgical
The majority of patients will begin treatment without surgery. Dr. Yau commonly prescribes rest, ice, activity modifications, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy aimed at strengthening the joint and improving range of motion. Occasionally, a corticosteroid injection may be given for symptom relief and to help facilitate physical therapy.
Surgical
If shoulder pain and other symptoms are not alleviated with conservative measures, Dr. Yau may recommend a surgical treatment. The type of surgery performed will depend on several factors, such as age, injury type and severity. Many throwing injuries requiring surgery can be treated through an arthroscopic approach. During the minimally invasive surgery, Dr. Yau will identify and repair the damaged tissues.
If you are suffering from shoulder pain caused by throwing injuries, please contact Dr. Jervis Yau, orthopedic shoulder specialist in the Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria and Ventura, California communities.